Molecular biology in the context of British, French, and American cultures

This article explores the cultural context of the new transdisciplinary fie ld of molecular biology in the three countries that did the most to establi sh it - Great Britain, the United States, and France. It inquires into thre e aspects of each of these national cultures that may help explain its prom inence as a cradle of molecular biology: (1) Political culture, especially science policy, as an area that impinges most directly on the production of scientific knowledge; (2) Intellectual culture, especially the role of sci entists in the national tradition of "public intellectuals"; (3) Institutio nal culture, or the social and material cultures prevailing in major labora tories and research institutes. The article also examines the convergence o f these three national traditions in the 1960s, due to the rise of internat ional collaborations and international institutions. It is suggested that t his trend will continue in the twenty-first century, as molecular biology i ncreasingly faces the challenge of a new cultural context - transnational g lobalisation and multiculturalism.