(UN)BOXING THE MONSTER

This paper engages with the debate over SSK's normative role (and over the moral and political responsibilities of the SSK analyst) by utili zing a 'sociology of monsters' framework to criticize Collins' insiste nce on the methodological and political necessity of neutrality, and h is associated principles of compartmentalization and alternation. The advantages of viewing the analyst as an exemplary monster - as margina l to, or simultaneously inhabiting, a number of intersecting social wo rlds - are explored through a discussion of my attempts to draw on my contextualized SSK analysis of the vitamin C and cancer controversy, t o inform policy recommendations intended to address asymmetries of pow er in the conduct and evaluation of clinical trials.