04.07.2019

Legitimating science in times of social change: How should science be communicated to the public?

Maren Beaufort and Josef Seethaler are among the authors of "Voices", the 2018 ICA Annual Conference Theme Book

"Maren Beaufort and Josef Seethaler connect the book’s concerns over the voices heard in public with scientific debate, asking what models of public communication about science are most likely to lead to greater interest in science. Their analyses of Eurobarometer data from Austria elicit some striking findings about people’s views of science. Namely, only an expectation of participatory communication (rather than representative or deliberative models of science communication), in which members of the public discuss science as equals, has a high level of explanatory power over people’s interest in science. Beaufort and Seethaler argue that science’s autonomy, in a country with some of the lowest public esteem for science in Europe, can be preserved only by legitimating it through public discourse. Their analysis leads them to call for deep engagement of both the public and scientists in discussions about important scientific questions." (Patricia Moy and Donald Matheson in their introduction "The Study of Voice")

M. Beaufort & J. Seethaler: Legitimating science in times of social change: How should science be communicated to the public? In P. Moy & D. Matheson (Eds.): Voices: Exploring the Shifting Contours of Communication. New York: Peter Lang, 2019