Given recent events in the news in the UK, and also in the US
(see http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=10989), it seems that
the hardest communication task is between scientists and
politicians/administrators. It is remarkable how many more political
crises in recent years are related to science, and the difficulties
political actors and administrators have in understanding
these issues in depth.
There are professions in which it is more important to tell
a coherent story, to produce convincing narratives, even if
part of the narrative is completely made up, rather than
carefully weigh up evidence and look for weaknesses in any
hypothesis. Public relations, political journalism and legal
advocacy are examples of disciplines in which people are
expected to lie in pursuit of the simple, sometimes
one-sided, story.
Compare that to the questionning, uncertain, sceptical
approach sometimes found in science (or any research).
As anyone who has ever tried to teach statistics to
law students can tell you, they think in different ways.
Some of the people on roundworld act as if narrativium
is present here.
So how do the science communication community cope with
this communications barrier? Have science journalists found
a way around?
Or should there be an all-out campaign claiming that as science
and technology now have a pervasive effect on the economy and
modern life, any minister, shadow minister or permanent secretary
who has not passed a science or technology examination in the
last five years is unqualified to govern?
--
Dr. David R. Newman, Queen's University Belfast, School of
Management and Economics, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland (UK)
Tel. (direct) +44 (0)28 9027 3643 (office) +44 (0)28 9033 5011
FAX: +44 (0)28 9033 5156 mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://www.qub.ac.uk/mgt/staff/dave/
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