070173 UE Methodological course - Popular Science (2022W)

For a long time, popular science had a stigma about it. In contrast to "real" science, popular science would not produce its own knowledge, but merely process what already existed in a convenient form for a broad audience. We have since learned that this connection is historically more complex. Popular sciences have had a lasting influence on the development of many scientific fields, such as the theory of evolution, since the early 19th century. At the same time, they continue to shape the public image of science to the present day. Popularization makes science become politically and socially effective, for example in the field of the environmental and feminist movements. But where is the boundary between popular and "real" science anyway, and how has it shifted over the course of history? Where and through which " channels " did popular science become relevant to society?

The methods course focuses on concrete case studies to examine significant episodes of popular science in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. In addition to the theoretical reflection on the phenomenon of "popularization", the course focuses on the various media of popular science. Popular science usually made use of a wide range of media: from popular lectures, the bestseller, and the magazine, to radio, photography, television, and digital media. Studying popular science therefore requires a high level of awareness of how to work with written and audiovisual media.

Through guided individual and group research, students bring their knowledge of analyzing written and nonwritten sources to the course. Several writing exercises also provide opportunities to apply the methodological knowledge acquired throughout the course.