Abstract

In recent years, the debate on the governance and regulation of emerging technologies has resurfaced strongly, especially in relation to artificial intelligence, driverless vehicles, and developments in the field of applied biology. Within this framework, this paper focuses on synthetic biology, analysing, from the perspective of Niklas Luhmann's social systems theory, the challenges for its governance in Latin America. It is concluded that the reality of Latin America presents additional obstacles for the governance of synthetic biology, among which the consolidation of the scientific field, the conditions of the political system and the difficulty in coordinating with civil society organizations stand out. © 2025 Universidad de Valladolid. All rights reserved.