Dear all,
again the discussion about how to address the "general public" concerning
science & technology. I agree with Ben Johnson that for most people, their
"public space" does not include science & technology as explicit topics -
some exceptions might be TV series like "emergency room" etc. (it seems, as
if a whole generation receives it´s medical knowledge from TV series...).
So if the audience does not come to the "institutions of science", science
must go to the "institutions of the public" which inculde my street, work,
family life etc. So there is no need to label a topic "scientifically
valuable" - just place it in the context of every day life, in a story to
make clear, that the topic a.) exists, b.) is of importance for me, my
family and society and c.) includes risks and benefits. This is good enough
for a start; if you are able to arise interest, people are willing to know
more about it automatically.
So try to put scientific topics into offers of the mass media - they really
reach the audience. There is a guiding message by the german sociologist
Niklas Luhmann (the theory of social systems): "What we know about our
society, about the world we´re living in, we know from the mass media." So
if you´re not present in the mass media, you´re not present at all!
And please always remember: If you want people to make up their minds about
gene therapy, they don´t have to know details about DNA polymerase, viruses
or even the double helix. PUS is not another word for formal education
(which still exists!) but a mixture of "methods" aiming to install an
informed public joining the debate about the question "What future do we
want?"
Attached you will find a PDF-document describing a possible way to get
people in touch with science & technology.
Best regards,
Marc
<<Enlightainment (engl.).pdf>>
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Dr. Marc Bovenschulte
Forum fuer Wissenschaft und Technik
(Forum for Science and Technology)
Heinrich-von-Stephan-Strasse 1
37073 Goettingen
Germany
Tel: +49-(0)551/54727-53
Fax: +49-(0)551/54727-27
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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