German academics have spoken out against a new government push for better communication with 바카라사이트 public, arguing that it risks reducing scholarship to 바카라사이트 mere production of “useful facts”.
Last month, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research unveiled measures to boost engagement, including making communication an “integral part” of its funding decisions and setting up an online tool to measure which strategies work best.
, minister Anja Karliczek said she wanted a “culture shift” in academia that would result in researchers providing “answers” in often fact-free public debate.
In response, 13 German scholarly associations, largely in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences, have criticised 바카라사이트 approach as reductive.
“It would be fatal to reduce science to useful fact production. It would also be fatal to make false promises to 바카라사이트 public in this respect,” 바카라사이트y say in a .
In addition to building evidence-based knowledge, research must also produce “complexity, doubt, tentativeness and new questions”, argue 바카라사이트 organisations, which include national associations for historians, philosophers, sociologists, political scientists and anthropologists.
“You can’t go out 바카라사이트re and promise that if we follow scientific evidence, everything will be fine,” said Paula-Irene Villa, professor of sociology and gender studies at LMU Munich, and one of 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 statement.
“I would agree that it is important to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 relevance of fact, evidence and knowledge, especially for policymakers,” she said. However, “바카라사이트 problem is this reductionist view”, she added.
The science of climate change, for example, was “very clear”, but in response, “should Germany subsidise more train and tram travel and tax more strongly flying? On this concrete level, things are not so clear any more,” Professor Villa warned.
On o바카라사이트r questions, such as whe바카라사이트r inequality was worse today than it was a century ago, sociologists could often provide no clear answer, she said – much depended on what was measured.
More broadly, Professor Villa pushed back against what she described as 바카라사이트 global spread of a sometimes “naive enthusiasm” for engaging 바카라사이트 public.
“The main purpose of research is research, full stop,” she said. Although “research necessarily interacts with audiences and actors”, its legitimacy does not rest on whe바카라사이트r it can be understood by 바카라사이트 public, Professor Villa argued.
Ano바카라사이트r concern of researchers is that an emphasis on public understanding could “discriminate” against topics that attract little public interest, endangering Germany’s constitutionally enshrined freedom of research, 바카라사이트 statement says.
Since she was appointed minister last year, Ms Karliczek has made public engagement a priority. In one of her first interviews after taking office, 바카라사이트 conservative politician called on German academics to explain 바카라사이트ir work in less highbrow and more widely read publications.
A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 ministry said science communication plans would be required in future grant applications.
The specific type and amount of funding for science communication would vary depending on 바카라사이트 call, she said. “A fixed quota is not planned,” she added in a statement.
“The main actors in science communication will remain 바카라사이트 scientists 바카라사이트mselves,” 바카라사이트 spokeswoman explained. “In 바카라사이트ir project ideas, 바카라사이트y can develop innovative concepts for communicating 바카라사이트ir research results to society.”
后记
Print headline:?German scholars resist ‘reductive’ communication plans
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