Author: Esa Väliverronen – University of Helsinki. Finland

The presentation is based on two kinds of data. First, we have made three consecutive representative surveys (from April 2020) of Finnish adult population (information sources, trust and perceptions of expertise). Fourth survey will be made in April 2021. Secondly, we have gathered extensive social media data, mainly from Twitter and discussion platforms. Our focus is on the public contestation of science and expertise on from the beginning of the epidemic.

In the end of February 2021, there were a total of 742 deaths associated with COVID-19 in Finland, and the number of reported cases was 56 407. Thus, so far, Finland has managed the epidemic fairly well, similarly to other Nordic countries, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, and much better than Sweden, which adopted a different strategy related to COVID-19. High trust in institutions is often presented as one the main reasons for the success in mitigating the pandemic.

However, despite the relative success, Finnish health authorities — represented by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland (THL) and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health issues (STM) in Finland — have been often questioned in public discourse during the epidemic.

The first results of the surveys reveal that despite of the criticism, the general trust on THL as well as other scientific institutions and experts remained high since Spring 2020. However, there are some interesting differences on the level of trust and perceptions of expertise, based on age, gender, level of education, and particularly, on political orientation.

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

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Transformation

Author: Esa Väliverronen – University of Helsinki, Finland

Co-authors:

  • Sampsa Saikkonen – University of Helsinki, Finland

Restrictions to the freedom of science and the public expression of researchers have become more prominent around the world in the last decade. In this presentation, we will analyse the academic freedom and freedom of expression of researchers in the context of authoritarian populism. Our focus is particularly on the increasing online hate, aggressive feedback and the politically motivated disparagement of science and expertise .

With recent international examples of the suppression of research as well as the silencing of scientists as public experts, we aim to provide an analytical framework to gain an understanding of the suppression of scientists in these turbulent times.

Our particular focus is in Finland. The presentation is based on three web surveys conducted among Finnish researchers in 2015, 2017 and 2019. We will focus on answers on the open-ended questions in these surveys, where respondents reflect upon issues of freedom of expression and the feedback they receive in public arenas.

Building on previous research on academic freedom, ‘research silencing’ and the ‘chilling effect’, we discuss the connection between freedom of expression and academic freedom. We make a distinction between four forms of hidden censorship: political and economic control, organizational control, control between rival academics and control from below, e.g. from ordinary citizens. Moreover, we make explicit and discuss the means, motives and practices of hidden censorship within each of these four forms.

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

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Transformation