When Scientists Become Advocates

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When Scientists Become Advocates

• Communication, Governance and Policy-making in
  the Face of Scientific Uncertainty

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Dr. Susanna Hornig Priest

• University of South Carolina
• College of Mass Communications Information
  Studies

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Changing Paradigms for Science Communication

• 17th-18th-19th century science as a rich guys
  hobby
• Elite pluralism concept of limited attentive and
  interested publics
• Democratic pluralism engaging with a variety of
  publics
• Advocacy model??

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Elite Pluralism

• Jon Millers work on attentive and interested
  publics
• Small percentage of public cares about science
  and science policy (10)
• Outreach for policy needs to reach only this
  group
• Spectator citizens should appreciate science,
  but not necessarily in depth

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U.S. public Illiterate and anti-intellectual?

• Not good at multiple choice tests!!
• Does this mean not smart or interested?
• Focus groups for bio, nano reveal rational
  thinking about reasonable concerns
• Concept of local knowledge
• Concern with who best to trust
• Knowledge not a strong predictor of pro/con
  policy attitudes

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Democratic Pluralism

• Multiple publics for science
• True believers (1/4-1/3 of U.S.)
• Utilitarians (another large group)
• Moral authoritarians (not the enemy!)
• Democratic pragmatists, ethical populists
• Scientists have obligation to educate and engage,
  yet 42 do not (Sigma Xi)
• Only 12 engage in political outreach

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Global Governance Perspectives

• For 25 European countries and US, Canada, about
  half defer to science
• Prefer elites to make policy on scientific
  grounds
• But half have other preferences
• Want more engagement and/or ethics
• Roughly equal on both sides of the Atlantic
  (12/23/05 Science)

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Why Engage the Public in Science?

• Educate the public
• Improve public understanding ?
• Influence policy
• Increase sciences influence
• Promote democratic governance
• Much science is funded by tax dollars
• Further self-interest
• Enhance appreciation, reduce dissent?

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Advocacy The Next Step??

• Gravely serious problems science (or ST) might
  help address (HIV/AIDS, global climate change,
  poverty and malnutrition)
• Policy environment in which leadership is not
  listening, politics seems stalled
• Scientists and communicators (e.g., science
  journalists) in new roles??

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Barriers

• Both scientists and journalists embrace
  objectivity
• For both groups, this is the social foundation of
  their authority
• Even when/if illusory in practice
• Legal, political, regulatory restrictions and
  career realities (e.g., for Federal, corporate
  employees)

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Opportunities

• Climate of public engagement invites public
  discussion of public policy
• Cannot have one without the other
• Marketplace of ideas as foundation of
  democratic theory
• Strong historical free speech arguments
• Academic freedom (tenure system)
• Journalistic freedom (1st Amendment)

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COMMENTS???