Justus Lentsch is Department Head of the doctoral programme at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, a green think tank and an international policy network. Peter Weingart is Director Emeritus of the Institute for Science and Technology Studies (IWT) and Professor Emeritus of Sociology (of Science) at Bielefeld University.

• Part I. Methodological Issues. Quality Control and Assurance in Scientific Policy Advice: 1. Introduction: the quest for quality as a challenge to scientific policy advice: an overdue debate? Justus Lentsch and Peter Weingart; 2. Quality control and peer review in advisory science Sheila Jasanoff; 3. Reconciling representation with reality: unitisation as an example for science and public policy Naomi Oreskes; 4. Looking for quality in all the wrong places: or the technological origins of quality in scientific policy advice Daniel Sarewitz; Part II. Collegial Science Advisory Bodies: 5. Knowledge, advice and influence: the role of the UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, 1970–2009 Susan Owens; 6. International Commission on Radiological Protection: policy and worldwide standards Christian Streffer; 7. The European Commission and the collection and use of science and technology advice Michael D. Rogers; Part III. Collegial Science Policy Advisory Bodies: 8. RMNO and quality control of scientific advice to policy Bert de Wit; 9. Quality assurance through procedures: policy advice by the German Science Council Andreas Stucke; Part IV. Research-Based Advisory Organizations: 10. The industrial organisation of economic policy preparation in The Netherlands Frank A. G. den Butter; 11. Quality control for the leading institutes of economic research in Germany: promoting quality within and competition between the institutes Gert G. Wagner; 12. Quality control and the link between science and regulation from a national and EU administrator's perspective Geoffrey Podger; 13. Science into policy: the European Environment Agency Sven Dammann and David Gee; 14. Reflective approaches to uncertainty assessment and communication Jeroen P. van der Sluijs, Arthur Petersen and Silvio Funtowicz; 15. Looking through the telescope: quality assurance in scientific advice to politics Reinhard Kurth and Susanne Glasmacher; 16. Scientific policy advice and foreign policymaking: Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, the German Institute for International and Security Affairs Volker Perthes; Part V. Academies of Science: 17. Scientific advice for policy in the United States: lessons from the National Academies and the former Congressional Office of Technology Assessment Peter D. Blair; 18. Quality control in scientific policy advice: the experience of the Royal Society Peter Collins; 19. European Academies Science Advisory Council Robin Fears and Volker ter Meulen; 20. Quality control in the advisory process: towards an institutional design for robust science advice Justus Lentsch and Peter Weingart.

“This impressive collection, featuring a stellar cast of leading thinkers in the field, provides an indispensable guide to anyone seeking to navigate the boundaries between science, politics and public policy.” – James Wilsdon, Director of Science Policy, The Royal Society