The use of narratives (photo-comic) as a means to communicate information about use, treatment and conservation of water in Mexico.

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The use of narratives (photo-comic) as a means to communicate information about use, treatment and conservation of water in Mexico.

Author: Aquiles Negrete – UNAM, Mexico, Mexico

Co-author:
Claudia Cecilia Lartigue – Ingenierà­a-UNAM

My research is oriented to explore the characteristics that a narrative text for science communication should observe. As I mentioned in previous work, from my perspective science communication via narratives has to follow a series of rules similarly as it happens in other narrative genera such as thrillers, horror, historic novel, comedy, etc. In this sense, “SciCom Narratives” could be considered as a new narrative genera with own characteristics and rules. Therefore, it is important to generate more knowledge that enables us to provide a solid theoretical body around narratives for science communication.

In this research we propose that photo-comics narratives represent an opportunity to communicate scientific information to the general public in a reliable and economic way. We used these narratives to communicate to the academic comunity at Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM) information about efficient water management activities and also to promote PUMAGUA, the Program of the UNAM in charge of water management at the University. Using the Retell, Identify, Remember and Contextualize information (RIRC) method (a method that uses memory tasks to assess learning) we tested the efficiency of this kind of illustrated narratives to communicate scientific information. We found statistical evidence that participants acquired information regarding water use using this media.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Applying science communication research to practice

An approach to scientific literacy through chemical experiments using wine and metaphoric representations

Author: Akemi Nagao – Salesian Polytechnic, Japan

These days, we can have easy access to various kinds of scientific information via internet news, TV, and social networking services. However, many people often feel at a loss to choose what to believe among overwhelming amount of information. This is particularly true in the field of science news because they do not have enough opportunities to be exposed to scientific mindset. It is highly important for us to encourage them to form better science literacy.

My proposal aims to assist general people to naturally form a scientific way of thinking by presenting a few unique chemical experiments in which I use wine and other objects familiar to general people. I will also introduce some interesting metaphoric ways to liken basic chemical principles and reactions to human behaviours.

I hope that this unique attempt will encourage many people to feel science more closer to them and how scientific knowledge can help them to make appropriate decisions in many aspects of their daily life.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Show, tell and talk
Theme: Science
Area of interest: Applying science communication research to practice

Indigenous languages in Patagonia – A travelling exhibition

Author: Sandra Murriello – National University of Río Negro, Argentina

Co-authors:
Máximo Farro – Museo de La Plata, UNLP
Marisa Malvestitti – IIDYPCA, UNRN
Anahí­ Mariluán – IIDYPCA,UNRN

Patagonia, the southern region of Argentina and Chile, is the ancestral territory for several indigenous communities nearly lead to extinction in the last centuries. As a consequence, many of their languages almost disappeared and were replaced by Spanish tongue for communication purposes. In some cases, we only have as historical records written vocabularies -many of them never published- documented in their territories by colonial agents such as explorers, missionaries and state officials. Besides, in Argentinian museums and current exhibitions on indigenous people, their languages are rarely mentioned so nowadays they almost remain unknown for the occidental society. Nevertheless, the surviving indigenous communities, i.e. the Mapuches, still speak their original language, the Mapuzungun, and are trying to revitalize and refunctionalize it, a process also observable in other smaller speech communities of Tehuelche, Selk’nam or Qawesqar.

As part of a research programme lead by linguists, anthropologists, historians, musicians and science communicators, we are planning a travelling exhibition about these communities’ languages, in order to display their structures, sounds, meanings and relations, set up in a collaborative way. The aim of the exhibition is to make visible the process of documentation and communication of these languages in the foundational period of Argentina and Chile as nation-states, when the agents mentioned above played a central role, as well as some indigenous mediators and translators who helped them to record the languages. One of the project’s goals is to take this exhibition through the Patagonian museums, universities and cultural centres. In this communication, we describe our idea and present some records in order to discuss the strategies to communicate indigenous languages in a museum exhibition context and share the experiences that other colleagues and institutions may have.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Idea in progress
Theme: Science
Area of interest: Investigating science communication practices

Stories about earthquakes and eruptions in Andean Patagonia

Author: Sandra Murriello – National University of Río Negro, Argentina

Co-authors:
Marí­a Elena Apa – CITECDE;UNRN
Bárbara Erak – CITECDE,UNRN
Mariano Núñez Freire – CITECDE,UNRN
Liliana Pierucci – CITECDE,UNRN
Carolina Salazar Marin – CITECDE,UNRN

Andean Patagonia, a tourist destination in Argentina and Chile, is a region with an important volcanic and seismic activity but the public policy about disasters prevention is weak as it was evidenced by the consequences of the last volcanic eruptions (Chaitén,2008; Puyehue, 2011; Calbuco, 2015). Besides, the consequences of these events, and the previous, are not well referenced in official regional history and they are also completely absent in the touristic information. In spite of this, people who lived seismic and/or volcanic events remember the facts with detail and have their own stories about the moment and its consequences. As we believe that this information is useful to prevent future disasters or to know what to do in an emergence situation, we are working on recovering experiences, memories and records by different strategies (inquiries, interviews, artistic interventions, etc.). These stories, in words, in pictures or in videos, are being posted in a virtual repository with free access that operates as a space of collective memory about earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in this region (www.volcanes.com.ar). It is necessary to say that there is no previous research about this topic in our country and that there is no other digital site to disseminate these vital experiences. This presentation aims to discuss the relevance of this kind of communication strategies (virtual spaces) to share different stories and visions about catastrophic events and its potential role in prevention.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Show, tell and talk
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Investigating science communication practices

Telling stories through the soundscapes of nanotechnology media

Author: Padraig Murphy – Dublin City University, Ireland

Co-authors:
Norah Campbell – Trinity College Dublin
Cormac Deane – Dàºn Laoghaire Institute for Art, Design and Technology

When watching a video about a new technology how closely do you listen to the sounds or voiceover? There is little research on how audio is represented in nano-products or research.

Research institutions that explore nano-enhanced innovations and companies that develop and market them are part of a lucrative global nano-industry. A report by IndustryARC predicts that the global revenue of the nano-industry will grow to 13 billion USD by 2021.

‘Nanotechnology media’ is defined here as either a low-production promotional video from a nanotechnology research facility; or a high-end advert for a product with nano-enhancement; or simple lab techniques, with accompanying graphics for learning purposes; or infotainment, either directly using, or adopting techniques from, Hollywood and the gaming industries.

We draw from a Nature Nanotechnology paper by the authors where 100+ nanotech media samples from advertising, outreach promotion, education and entertainment were reviewed(Campbell, et al, 2017). We subsequently extended our analysis to focus on sound effects in nano-related computer games.

We categorised sound first on the basis of the spatial, music soundtrack, voiceover and the concept of synchresis (the extent of whether or not sound FX matched onscreen action). Within this schema we looked at room tone, gender voice, electro-sounds, the choice of electronica or orchestral. What results is a continuum from the familiar to the strange and alien. Analysis is informed by theories of embodied cognition, film studies and sonic branding to look at the paradoxes of fear and awe produced by sound.

Concerns persist about nanotechnology based on safety, security, ethics and societal impact. Science communication practitioners will find our typology of sound useful when considering promotional soundtracks. Researchers will see further evidence of a new technological landscape and discourse capable of playing with our emotions, making the familiar strange and vice versa.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Society
Area of interest: Applying science communication research to practice

Framing futures through fiction and folklore – Weaving past and prospective narratives of public understanding of climate science

Author: Debashish Munshi – University of Waikato, New Zealand

Co-authors:
Priya Kurian – University of Waikato
Sandra Morrison – University of Waikato

Some of the best contemporary science fiction writers such as Margaret Atwood, Paolo Bacigalupito, Emmi Itäranta, David Mitchell, and Saci Lloyd, to name a few, have made amazing use of climate science research to project the future and trigger action on climate change. At the same time, traditional storytellers are also drawing into the deep recesses of folklore to chart maps of a changing climate to prepare people for the future.

In this paper we explore the convergences and divergences between the rapidly emerging genre of climate fiction, or cli-fi as it is popularly called, and community legends of the past to gain insights into productive ways of furthering public engagement on climate science. In doing so, we build on our culture-centred framework of public engagement on climate adaptation which holds significant implications for science communication.

Drawing on a critical reading of science fiction texts as well as a discourse analysis of interviews with communities in New Zealand, especially Maori, we examine how insights from fiction and folklore may resonate with scientific understandings of climate change impacts on the ocean, land, and atmosphere. We weave together narratives from science, fiction and folklore to inform culturally nuanced strategies for climate adaptation. Such an exercise lies at the heart of Futures Studies which, as Sardar (2006: 60) says, aims “not so much to predict the future (a highly hazardous exercise) but to anticipate possible futures and work towards shaping the most desirable ones.”

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Building a theoretical basis for science communication

A five year qualative and quantative assesment of science engagement by NRF|SAASTA

Author: Lindie Muller – National Research Foundation, South Africa

Co-author:
Lindie Muller – South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement

The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), a business unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF) in South Africa, was tasked to drive science engagement on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Science engagement in this context, relates to activities that are focused on three main target audiences; school-going learners, educators, and members of the public. These activities are further segregated into science-related educational, awareness, and communications interventions, with the ultimate objective of advancing science in society.

This proposed poster will provide an overview of a quantitative and qualitative assessment of science engagement driven by SAASTA over a five-year period for the ‘Science in Society’ theme. The first section of the poster will display the quantitative data that will include the types of engagement activities, the major themes, and the number of people reached within the nine different provinces that constitutes South Africa and how this fits into science in society. The second section will reflect on the outcome of several qualitative analyses conducted by the SAASTA Monitoring and Evaluation Division on a number of these interventions. Finally, the poster will conclude with best practice guidelines for science engagement, with an integrated communications component that could possibly contribute towards the improvement of the scientific community’s ability to effectively communicate their findings to a variety of target audiences and, ultimately, enhance science engagement.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Visual talk
Theme: Society
Area of interest: Investigating science communication practices

Who tells the science stories in Spain? – Survey among the members of associations of science communicators

Author: Carolina Moreno-Castro – University of Valencia, Spain

Co-authors:
Tony Calvo Roy – Spanish Association of Science Communication
Pampa Garcí­a Molina – Spanish Association of Science Communication
Belén Laspra – University of Michigan
Pilar Perla Mateo – Heraldo de Aragón Newspaper
Gonzalo Remiro Ródenas – Spanish Association of Science Communication
Natalia Ruí­z Zelmanovitch – Spanish Association of Science Communication

Objective: In order to better understand the profession of science communicator in Spain, the Spanish Association of Science Communication, together with the Association of Journalists of Environmental Information (APIA), the National Association of Health Journalists (ANIS), the Catalan Association of Science Communication (ACCC); and the Galician association DivulgACCIÓN have conducted a survey among all their members.

Methodology: The online study was carried out during the month of May 2017. The questionnaire had 29 questions about the professional activity of science communicators in Spain. The survey was sent to a universe of 1,489 associates, and it was answered by 317 (self-selected sample).

Results: Among the main results of the survey, we can highlight that: more than half of the science communicators (56%) live in two autonomous communities: Catalonia (29%) and Madrid (26.8%). Added to those living in Galicia (19.6%), they represent 75%. Three quarters of all the science communicators in Spain develop their professional activity in these three autonomous regions. When we look at gender division, 55% are men and 45%, women. The average age of all respondents is 44 years. The 46.88%, are men, and 40.57%, women.

In terms of academic training, 29.7% are graduates; 33.4% are postgraduates; and 29.7% are doctors. The 41% of the respondents have studied a degree in mathematics, physics, chemistry or biology; 27%, journalism or communication; and the main areas in which they develop their profession are: journalism (33.60%), digital communication (30.20%) and organization of outreach activities (22.10%).

Conclusions: The profile of the science communicator in Spain is a male in his 40s, living in Barcelona, who has studied a scientific career, and works as a science journalist.

Presentation type: Visual talk
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Comparing science communication across cultures

A study about knowledge and attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among teacher training students – A pilot study based on open ended questionnaires

Author: Carolina Moreno-Castro – University of Valencia, Spain

Co-authors:
Mavi Corell-Doménech – Florida University
Emilia Lopera-Pareja – Research Unit in Scientific Culture of the CIEMAT

The main objective of this research is to improve the methodological tool for assessing the attitudes and knowledge of university students about CAM.

A pilot study was carried out in which 209 surveys of teacher training students from Florida University (Valencia, Spain), were completed. The questionnaire used is known as the Complementary and Alternative Medicines Health Belief Questionnaire (CHBQ) and was designed and validated by Lie and Boker in 2004. The CHBQ consists of ten closed-ended items based on a Likert scale (1-7). In addition, were included three open-ended questions for a qualitative study. The responses to the closed-ended questions were analysed using the SPSS program and the answers to the open-ended questions were evaluated using the corpus linguistics software T-LAB 9. 1.

According to the results of the CHBQ, the students surveyed are undecided about their beliefs and perceptions of CAM with a slight tendency towards been in favour. They don’t believe that CAM are a threat to public health and they consider that they include ideas and methods that conventional medicines could benefit from. As regards the qualitative results, a large percentage of students said that their knowledge of CAM was by word of mouth: friends (61.2%), family (60.3%) and acquaintances or neighbours (43.1%). The students surveyed have a favourable impression of CAM as ‘natural’ and distrust scientific medicine for using ‘chemical’ drugs with harmful side effects.

This pilot study has gleaned a great deal of information about the attitudes and knowledge of CAM held by teacher training students. It illustrates the usefulness of combining quantitative and qualitative questions for future studies. This instrument is more robust and yields more detailed information.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Science
Area of interest: Building a theoretical basis for science communication

Counteracting cross-cultural calamities when creating a comic – lessons learned from a pilot study

Author: Fredrik Brouneus – VA (Public & Science), Sweden

Co-author: Paula Alvarado – Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC)

Medicines safety is of utmost importance to public health on a global scale. Illness due to adverse reactions, use of fake or substandard medicines or incorrect use of medicines pose a considerable burden on society, both with regards to individual suffering and financial costs to the system. To promote a safer use of medicines, basic knowledge needs to be communicated – preferably at an early age to influence behavioral patterns toward medicines. To address this challenge, the Uppsala Monitoring Centre, UMC, is developing a comic book series addressing primarily tweens (10-12-year-olds). Secondary target groups include younger as well as older children/teenagers and adult members of low literacy communities. Each issue contains a feature story on a medicines safety theme, activity pages related to the theme and a final section on basic medicines safety knowledge. In 2017 a pilot issue, on falsified medicines and the concept of side-effects, was tested in a number of different cultural settings around the world, including countries such as Armenia, Jordan, Uganda and Cabo Verde. The testing was done by means of focus groups with tweens. The comic was received with enthusiasm from its readers, and attained its communication goals. Furthermore, it received crucial feedback to improve its acceptability in the different cultural contexts. Based on the results from the pilot, the first issue was recreated from scratch. In parallel a second issue, on antibiotic resistance, was developed. In 2018, in collaboration with researchers at Lund University, the effects of the comic will be explored scientifically as part of a dissertation research project. This presentation will discuss the evolution of the comic, lessons learned from the pilot testing, and challenges encountered in communicating scientific content with audiences from a diverse set of cultural settings.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Show, tell and talk
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Comparing science communication across cultures

The role of society in science – Insights into responsibility, integrity and stakeholder values

Author: Caitriona Mordan – Dublin City University, Ireland

Co-authors:
Peter Broks – Rhine-Waal University
Heather Doran – University of Aberdeen
Yin Lin – China Research Instit. for Science Popularization
Shadrack Mkansi – South Africa National Research Foundation
Shadrack Mkansi – South African Agency for Science and Technology a
Padraig Murphy – Dublin City University

Values are an essential part of scientific integrity – values related to producing reliable empirical knowledge (e.g. not fabricating results or manipulating data) and also values related to acceptable social behaviour (e.g. about human experimentation). We have an expectation that scientists should be responsible towards their own research practice as well as responsible to the wider scientific community and society more generally.

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is currently a major focus for European funding. According to the European Commission RRI implies that stakeholders “work together during the whole research and innovation process in order to better align both the process and its outcomes with the values, needs and expectations of society”. However, each stakeholder in the scientific process will also have its own set of values, its own ideas of integrity. RRI is not about what each stakeholder group knows in the process. It is about coming together at the start of the process so the values of the stakeholder group are represented – it is not about any stakeholder group conforming in a revolutionary way what they aim to achieve but achieving it in a different way – together.

NUCLEUS is a four year RRI project funded by the European Commission. This panel will draw on the evidence from the project to examine this issue of integrity. The NUCLEUS Field Trips revealed that stakeholder integrity is an essential component in developing sustainable, resilient relationships. By providing mechanisms to share values/expectations of all societal actors, trust can be built, carving the way for RRI approaches to be embedded systematically in institutions. Panellists will share approaches adopted by 10 institutions to recognise and appreciate stakeholder values, to build trust and carve the way for RRI approaches to be to be embedded systematically in scientific institutions.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Roundtable discussion
Theme: Society
Area of interest: Applying science communication research to practice

Motives, opinions and communication – perspectives from the field study of Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat, India

Author: M P Ram Mohan – Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, India

Nuclear energy is expected to account for an increasingly important share of India’s power structure in the future. However, the sector faces a number of challenges including its social acceptability at the local level. In the past especially since the Fukushima disaster in 2011, local opposition resulted in significant project delays and additional costs. Surprisingly, very few studies so far studied public opinions and views towards nuclear energy in a fully satisfactory manner in India. The present study addresses these issues by adopting a mixed- methods –both qualitative and quantitative – approach to study local opinions and views towards nuclear energy, and communication between stakeholders in the vicinity of Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat, India. The surrounding area of KAPS constitutes a fertile ground to study the scale of local opposition or support towards nuclear energy, as well as their underpinning motives. Strengthening the study, a “Level-1” incident occurred in KAPS Unit 1 in 2016, which resulted in the shutdown of its reactor, while two more units (3 & 4) are under construction since 2010. A series of Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted in 10 villages located within a 10km radius of the nuclear plant, whose analysis is sought to help the production of relevant categories to inform the design of a quantitative survey (n=500).

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Idea in progress
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Investigating science communication practices

Public confidence in research – communication dos and don’ts for researchers

Author: Fredrik Brouneus – VA (Public & Science), Sweden

Co-authors:
Maria Lindholm – VA (Public & Science)
Ylva Norén Bretzer – University of Gothenburg

Together with the SOM Institute at the University of Gothenburg, the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science) has been following public attitudes to science since 2002 in an annual national survey. Public confidence in research is generally high in Sweden. However, results show a great – and consistent – variation between research areas. Medicine invariably comes out on top, whereas education research and the humanities are at the bottom. Why is this so? What builds confidence in science and researchers? How can researchers nurture public confidence in their own field? To answer these questions, we conducted eight focus groups with members of the public in Stockholm and Gavle, Sweden. Among the participants, there was a higher confidence in research perceived to be transparent, useful (preferably with well-defined results), free from financial interests, and understandable. Being conducted by dedicated researchers with a passion for their work – who can explain what they are doing, and why they are doing it – also boosted confidence. Factors that lowered perceived confidence include fraudulent behaviour, financial interests, no apparent benefits from the research, when researchers turn out to be wrong or when they contradict each other’s results. Here nutrition was repeatedly mentioned as an area with low confidence, due to inconsistent results being frequently reported in the media. Research seen as being too obscure, or too obvious, also received lower confidence ratings among participants. There was an overall positive view on researchers, with participants perceiving them to be highly intelligent, devoted to their work, creative, patient; while at the same time attributing them with stereotypical personal traits such as absentmindedness, social incompetence and an inability to explain their work to normal people. This presentation will discuss findings from the focus groups and their ramifications for researchers in their role as science communicators.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Science
Area of interest: Building a theoretical basis for science communication

Uncle Albert’s kosher dill pickle – telling the story of Albert Einstein through science experiments, music, humour and audience participation

Author: Ronen Mir – Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

This performance is the life story and discoveries of Albert Einstein through spectacular science demonstrations that have been developed to meet the need for connecting daily life phenomena with its scientific substance.

Using daily objects, one learns about Astrophysics, Atmospheric Physics, Newton’s Laws, Gravity, Chemistry, Waves and Sound, Fire and Ballistics. The performances use lots of humour, surprising effects, and awe-inspiring actions. The audience is an active participant contributing to the science demonstration. The participants take home ideas for safe experiments they can use to demonstrate science.

This performance has been successfully performed in the US, South Africa, Ethiopia, Brazil and Israel, for science professionals and teachers, policy makers, grandparents and grandchildren programs, and school assemblies of all ages.

Science Demonstrations – Science demonstrations are older than science museums. They were brought to the forefront of entertainment from the XVI century onwards. Today they are used to convey messages about science and modern research in science museums and informal learning environments.

Connecting science to daily life – Science is sometimes taught in schools and delivered to the public detached from their lives. Yet there is so much science in everything we develop and do; our entire existence is based on science. These science demonstrations visually demonstrate and explains the deep roots and explanations of everyday phenomena in science.

Making science accessible and fun – Everyone can do experiments. Studying about our world is interesting and can be a lot of fun. These science demonstrations are full of humour, delivering surprising effects using food, water, fire, wind and air.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Perfomance
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Teaching science communication

Outdoor science parks and experiences – increasing community participation and building new society partnerships

Author: Ronen Mir – Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Co-authors:
Mikko Myllykoski – Heureka, Finland
Elaine Reynoso – Universum, Mexico
Graham Walker – Australian National University

The implementation of Outdoor Science Parks and Outdoor Experiences by Science Centers has recently evolved to enable strategic society partnerships. These allow Science Centers to extend their outreach to new and often underserved audiences.

Experts from Science Centers across the Globe will describe their Outdoor Science Experiences projects and the effect they have on developing Society partnerships.

The Clore Garden of Science, Noble Energy Science Park in Israel will be described, and Science Parks in Toronto as well.

Galilei park in Finland will be described in general (northern conditions), and then about a very specific citizen science project performed last summer. It relates to the Innocence Project and to the psychology of the eyewitness.

Science Circus Africa – Science Shows, DIY travelling exhibits and outdoor displays implemented with several African nations will be described.

The expansion project of Universum in Mexico will be described, including outdoor exhibits and activities for passers-by and dissadvantaged audiance. The Ecological path highlighting unique ecosystem embeded in Lava rock will be shown.

This session is targeted at those who wish to consider the advantages and different viewpoints of Outdoor Science Parks for their Centers. Initial assessment results will also be shown.

Question raised include:

  • Synthesis and analysis of what outdoor settings can deliver.

 

  • The relative value and cost of indoor versus outdoor exhibits and activities.

 

  • Using Outdoor Science Parks to set up strategic sector partnerships

 

  • Innovative educational programs in outdoor science park settings.

 

  • How do outdoor science parks allow science centers to extend their reach to underserved audiences?

The motivation for developing Outdoor Science Parks is presented. The significance of being outdoors and the choice of themes and exhibit ideas suited for the outdoors are discussed. Since Outdoor Science Parksand Experiences do not require buildings, their implementation may be speedy and economical and appeal to underrepresented audiences.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Roundtable discussion
Theme: Society
Area of interest: Comparing science communication across cultures

Mind the ‘Ivory Tower-Grassroots’ gap – Science communication in post conflict societies

Author: Karen Brounéus – Uppsala University, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Sweden

Co-authors:
Mariska Kappmeier – National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago
Stephen Knowles – Department of Economics, University of Otago
David McBride – Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago

In this cross-disciplinary roundtable, scholars from five different disciplines – Maori studies, Economics, Psychology, Preventive and Social Medicine, and Peace research – will discuss the challenges and possibilities of communicating science results in post conflict settings globally. The roundtable participants will share experiences, and importantly also the lack of experiences, in bridging the ivory tower–grassroots gap in their work in different places around the world, eg Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands and New Zealand. The roundtable will discuss the challenges of communicating science in deeply divided societies, where distrust is high and where findings might be co-opted for political purposes. Similarly, the challenges of communicating research findings to people who are sceptical of what scholars have to say, and who dismiss research results that do not fit with their own priors will be highlighted. The craft of risk communication and the imperative of community engagement and ownership in science projects – not least for later communication and implementation – will be another focus of the roundtable. Looking ahead, creative possibilities for science communication in post conflict settings will be discussed, such as the growing importance of museums and their role in breaking through knowledge systems and social boundaries of community engagement. Throughout the roundtable, the ethics of science communication and the golden rule of doing no harm will be highlighted.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Roundtable discussion
Theme: Science
Area of interest: Comparing science communication across cultures

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