Date of publication
Jul 13, 2026
Category:
Article
Academic saviourism: how well-meaning science communication can reproduce epistemic hierarchies
by
Miriam Welz
This theoretical article introduces academic saviourism as a concept that explains how inclusion efforts in science communication can at times unintentionally reproduce epistemic hierarchies, and end up being symbolic rather than transformative. Building on theories like Bourdieu's habitus, Archer et al.'s science capital, and Critical Race Studies' perspectives on the White Savior Industrial Complex, I draw out three interrelated manifestations of academic saviourism: (1) affective burdens on marginalised individuals, (2) the performative inclusion practices of science communication institutions, and (3) the underlying normative assumptions that shape how science communication actors understand marginalised communities' needs and participation.
Volume 25Issue 52026Transitions in Science Communication: Continuity and Change (PCST 2025)