Whether it's Corona or the climate crisis: in many controversial issues, there is battle over knowledge. Scientific expertise is of great importance in these disputes.
For Alexander Bogner, sociologist at the Institute of Technology Assessment (ITA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and author of the book "Die Epistemierung des Politischen - Wie die Macht des Wissens die Demokratie gefährdet" (The Epistemization of Politics - How the Power of Knowledge Endangers Democracy), the popular saying "Follow the science!" falls short: "Politics is more than just reacting to facts. We therefore need policy advice that takes knowledge and value issues into account."
In his new ITA Dossier, Bogner explains the main thesis of his book: "Independent policy advice is essential, especially in times of crisis. But when we do technology assessment, we also have to factor in public participation. Lay knowledge also plays a significant role in crises, and political decisions should always be based on multiple sources," Bogner is convinced.