230197 SE Cross-boundary communication in contemporary research: Actors, interactions, and impacts (2010S)

Communication processes and their specific rules (publication, peer review, citation, etc.) are the very basis for scientific research and its dissemination. Furthermore, communication between the sciences and various publics is perceived as increasingly important. During the last decades emphasis has shifted - at least rhetorically - from unidirectional 'information' of 'the public' about scientific 'facts' (deficit model) towards a more dialogue-oriented approach that emphasises mutual understanding and learning. Sciences should no longer just 'teach' 'the public' but publics also 'speak back to science'.
These developments must be regarded in the context of a growing awareness of uncertainty and complexity both of scientific knowledge and the problems it addresses. The most obvious examples for such complex problems can be found in the area of sustainability research - climate change, pollution and shortage of natural resources must be handled on the basis of uncertain and contested knowledge. Hence, new ways of knowledge production and new ways of interaction and communication within science and between science and society emerge and are experimented with - it is claimed that disciplinary boundaries should be crossed and practical expertise and lay experiences should be integrated into research to frame both the definition of problems and possible solutions. 'Socially robust knowledge', 'Interdisciplinarity' and 'Transdisciplinarity' are some buzzwords in this context.
Hence, the seminar raises the question how communication processes both within science and on the science-society-interface are affected by these changes, which feedback-processes from the public back to science take place and what that means for the organisation of research and the knowledge produced under these circumstances.
Starting from theoretical approaches that conceptualise contemporary changes of knowledge production and communication in science and beyond, the course will focus on case studies reflecting these changes. This pattern will allow students to generate questions and to find the answer inside the theory and through the case studies. Throughout the course students will gain a deeper understanding of the manifold roles communication plays within the scientific system and beyond and they will develop the competence to analyse and conceptualise case studies along theoretical approaches.
The seminar mainly builds on discussion and the active participation of the students. To earn a grade, students have to be present during the lessons, read the obligatory literature, participate in discussions and group work, present a case study and to write a final essay.