This document discusses how the public is constructed and represented in debates around stem cell research. It analyzes various research that engaged with public views on stem cell issues through interviews, focus groups, and other methods. However, it argues these complex public responses are often simplified by politicians, media, and others constructing "virtual publics" to fit their political aims. These virtual publics are mobilized differently depending on the event space, such as in parliament, the US president's addresses, media interviews, or online forums. The document examines examples of how the public is referenced in these political spaces to suggest support for or need to educate particular stances on stem cell issues.

1. Stem cells, spaces and the performance of ‘the public’ Fiona Coyle 23rd January 2009

4. ‘The public’: unproblematically constructed

5. Alternatively, publics as ‘active, knowledgeable, playing multiple roles, receiving as well as shaping science’ (Edna Eisnedel)

7. Focus groups/interviews – ‘utilising a five day embryo to extract stem cells that might be used in the treatment of Alzhemier’s Disease’

8. Argue that complex responses simplified via construction of different versions of a ‘virtual public’

9. Virtual public mobilised and performed in event spaces of stem cell debate for political purposes

10. Virtual public – any fixed, written or verbal construction of subjectivity - freeze-frames the real into the virtual in time and space

13. Concerned: pro-life, miscarriage/abortion, religious

15. Beyond our ‘natural’ lifespan

16. Inequalities - donated for ££ but can’t afford

17. Previous experiences of biomedical error

18. Little or no a-prior knowledge about non-e-SCs

19. Pluripotence of e-SCs

20. Altruism and potential for scientific advance

21. Positively inclined towards research

22. Religious/spiritual beliefs

25. Emotionally pulled in multiple directions by competing contexts or value-systems - views are torn, conflictual and context dependent

26. Discomfort at destruction of an embryo vs acceptability of the ‘naturalness’ of treatment

27. Following ‘natural’ process of life and death vs fight it with stem cell cures

31. Virtual ‘public’, ‘people’, ‘citizens’, ‘taxpayers’ and named/anonymous individuals

32. ‘emotional’, ‘hostile’ and ‘irrational’

33. ‘abhorrence’, ‘public revulsion’, ‘hysteria’, ‘horror’ and ‘yuck’ factor

35. POLITICAL SPACES Parliament, Senate, consultations, George Bush’s ranch

37. Experts, MPs, journalists and stakeholders conjured up images of an anxious public

38. Confusion - rapid technological development and inappropriate science communication/guidance: ‘miracle cures’ just around the corner ‘Public anxiety needs to be dealt with in an open and sympathetic way. The public must be shown openly and to its satisfaction that rigorous ethical guidelines are put in place’ (Liam Fox,Parliament – Science: Blair backs move to allow human embryo research, The Independent, 20th December 2000).

40. Hon Bill English, this ‘is about a whole new world around which there is emotion and hysteria’ (Bill English, National, Clutha-Southland, Hansard, 20th October 2004).

42. Critical announcement – federal funding for eSCR

43. Ranch politicised, hospitable/accessible to US citizens

44. National address: public education talk on ethical issues on national airwaves

47. NZ absent, USA interviews with South Korean market traders

48. Individual representative residents, specific question, legislative moments/scientific breakthroughs or controversies

49. Selection to polarise debate or denote need for public education

50. 2004 Radio 5 transcript, Alison Murdoch after granted license to therapeutically clone embryos.

53. Addressed: by Alison Murdoch, agreed that ‘some of those comments that those people have made clearly indicate that we haven’t got the message over’ (BBC Radio 5, 11th August 2004, 16:05)

54. Forum: radio show

55. Setup: public comments attract listeners

57. Embodied performance of national support for hero

60. ‘On Saturday, President Roh Moo Hyun [of PD Notebook] posted a statement on his Web site saying that ''the public’s response went too far.'' But hours after his message, about 50 people started a candlelight vigil in front of the MBC studios’. (‘South Koreans Rush to Defend Cloning Researcher Against Criticism’ The New York Times, November 29, 2005).

62. Particular research framework, conducted, taped, transcribed, analysed and transformed into a MS Powerpoint document - ‘virtual publics’.

63. ‘Virtual publics’ ≠ multiple versions of the ‘virtual public’

64. The ‘virtual public’ simplified, mobilised, performed by journalists, politicians, experts and policy-makers