In this episode, Donya speaks with Veni-laureate Christel van Eck (UvA), about her research on how academics can best combine their roles as scientists and activists. Should they even do this? And why (not)? The challenges around being an activist academic are becoming ever more pressing when it comes to the theme of climate change as the demands of science, policy, civil disobedience, and media attention are coming together new ways and raising urgent questions for how academics should navigate their roles in relation to the public. We talk about:
- What the communication research tells us about the circumstances under which academics should become more involved in activism.
- What the responsibility of academics is when it comes to engaging with the public on the issue of climate change.
- How to respond to the problem of science disinformation on this topic.
- What the role of academic institutions is in addressing today’s challenges for academics who are publicly engaged as activists on this issue.
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Going Public is a podcast series about how scientists/scholars can best communicate their knowledge about contested issues like climate change and sustainability with the public in today’s changing media landscape. In each episode, we have a conversation with someone with expertise in science communication and media matters to hear their advice.
Global crises like climate change raise important challenges for academics from across disciplines who are doing research that is relevant for public debates. Such academics not only produce scientific knowledge but also have to be able to communicate it convincingly to different audiences. By highlighting important conversations, Going Public seeks to help researchers reflect on how best to navigate public engagement and science communication, today. What helps when it comes to gaining public understanding, credibility, and trust? Which approaches are the most effective? And what should we keep in mind as we venture into public outreach activities within a media landscape that is increasingly dominated by social media platforms?
This podcast series functions as a practical guide for academics from all fields, as well as a resource for students of science communication.
