What Are Boundary Organizations and Why Are They Important?

An ecologist wants to influence public policy, and a policymaker wants science advice, and they both have a problem: How do you bring together science and politics without harming either? How do you get informed policy, scientific credibility, and political legitimacy? Build a boundary organization! (Or use someone else’s.) Boundary organizations create a space for negotiations that bridge the boundary between science and politics, often revising the boundary in the process. They help scientists, policymakers, and interest groups reach agreement on how to link science and politics, while remaining accountable to their various constituencies.