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Sep 30, 2019 Commentary

Technoscience in the era of #MeToo and the science march

Feminist technoscience theory offers perspectives for science communication that both question common narratives and suggests new narratives. These perspectives emphasize issues of ethics and care often missing from science communication. They focus on questions of what is marginalized or left out of stories about science — and encourage us to make those absences visible.

Volume 18Issue 042019

Sep 30, 2019 Commentary

The seeming paradox of the need for a feminist agenda for science communication and the notion of science communication as a ‘ghetto’ of women's over-representation: perspectives, interrogations and nuances from the global south

by Elizabeth Rasekoala

The challenge to the science communication field put forward by Bruce Lewenstein, of the sector becoming a ‘ghetto’ of women's over-representation (see the commentary by Lewenstein in this issue), is a very timely wake-up call. This Commentary however, elaborates and frames the pivotal and constructivist premises on which this phenomenon should be interrogated and understood on many levels. It is critical that we undertake a deeper introspection, beyond just simplistic head counts of the number of women and men in the field, if we are to make sense of the seeming paradoxes that pervade the field, across the intersectionalities of gender, race, social class and other paradigms of inequality. This Commentary also highlights with qualitative and quantitative data how the interrogation of these developments in the field should bring on board inclusive global and diverse regional perspectives, critiques, good practices and nuances, to fully inform our shared understandings, and engender transformation in the field.

Volume 18Issue 042019

Sep 30, 2019 Commentary

Catch 22 — improving visibility of women in science and engineering for both recruitment and retention

by Laura Fogg-Rogers , Laura Hobbs

There is a significant under-representation of women in STEM which is damaging societal progress for democratic, utilitarian, and equity reasons. However, changing stereotypes in STEM requires a solution denied by the problem — more visible female role models. Science communicators are critical to curate the conditions to bypass this Catch 22. We propose that enhancing self-efficacy for female scientists and engineers to mentor others will generate more supportive workplaces. Similarly, enhancing self-efficacy for public engagement improves the visibility of diverse female role models for young girls. These social connections will ultimately improve the science capital of girls and other minorities in STEM.

Volume 18Issue 042019

Sep 30, 2019 Commentary

What role can Athena SWAN play in gender equality and science communication?

by Clare Wilkinson

This essay discusses how gender-focused culture change initiatives developed for science (like Athena SWAN) might offer models for science communication. Such initiatives can seek to mobilise change amongst university departments and practices, but there are also potential pitfalls in such approaches. Using experiences in a department at UWE Bristol as a basis, the article will consider whether such schemes in science offer potential for science communication to reflect on its own gender imbalances.

Volume 18Issue 042019

Sep 30, 2019 Commentary

Questioning the feminization in science communication

by Tania Pérez-Bustos

This comment discusses feminization of science communication as a process that is related to the professionalization of the field, but also with the subordination of its practices to certain ideas of science that have described as androcentric. It argues that science communication can play an important role in questioning this subordination and contributing to democratizing science bringing gender diversity into it. For this, the comment presents the case of a Colombian transgender scientist whose public presence in media has being important to destabilize scientific subjectivities in the country and also has opened the possibility to think of science from a care-ful perspective.

Volume 18Issue 042019

Sep 30, 2019 Commentary

Feminist standpoint theory and science communication

by Megan Halpern

This commentary introduces feminist standpoint theory and discusses its potential value in science communication. It offers two ways in which feminist standpoints can help in both research and practice. First, science communicators should aim to understand the perspective from which they understand and share scientific knowledge. Second, practitioners and researchers alike should seek insights from marginalized groups to help inform the ways the dominant view of science reflects hegemonic social and cultural norms.

Volume 18Issue 042019

Dec 17, 2018 Commentary

The PCST 2018 sessions on “Communicating science across cultures”: an overview by the session chairs

by Steve Miller , Ka'iu Kimura

The 15th international conference of the Public Communication of Science and Technology network took place from April 4–6, 2018. Given its location in Dunedin, New Zealand/Ōtepoti, Aotearoa, it was a natural venue for two sessions on communicating science across cultures.

Indigenous Australian artists and astrophysicists come together to communicate science and culture via art

by Steven Tingay

RAS200 — engaging citizens with astronomy across cultural divides

by Steve Miller, Sue Bowler and Sheila Kanani

Country-specific factors that compel South African scientists to engage with public audiences

by Marina Joubert

Challenges of cross-cultural communication in production of a collaborative exhibition: Wai ora, Mauri ora

by Nancy Longnecker and Craig Scott

Engaging Caribbean island communities with indigenous heritage and archaeology research

by Tibisay Sankatsing Nava and Corinne Hofman

Volume 17Issue 042018

Dec 17, 2018 Commentary

Engaging Caribbean island communities with indigenous heritage and archaeology research

by Tibisay Sankatsing Nava , Corinne Hofman

This paper describes community engagement activities with indigenous heritage and archaeology research in the Caribbean. The practice of local community engagement with the archaeological research process and results can contribute to retelling the indigenous history of the Caribbean in a more nuanced manner, and to dispel the documentary biases that originated and were perpetuated from colonial times. From the conception of the ERC-Synergy NEXUS 1492 research project, a key aim has been to engage local communities and partners in the research process and collaboratively explore how the research results can be positively incorporated in contemporary cultural heritage. In the context of community engagement with scientific research, this paper explores the question of who represents a community and highlights key examples in community participation in archaeological research. These examples emphasize participation throughout the research process, from the development of research questions, to data analysis, dissemination and conservation action.

Volume 17Issue 042018

Dec 17, 2018 Commentary

Country-specific factors that compel South African scientists to engage with public audiences

by Marina Joubert

A study in South Africa shed light on a set of factors, specific to this country, that compel South African scientists towards public engagement. It highlights the importance of history, politics, culture and socio-economic conditions in influencing scientists' willingness to engage with lay audiences. These factors have largely been overlooked in studies of scientists' public communication behaviours.

Volume 17Issue 042018

Dec 17, 2018 Commentary

Challenges of cross-cultural communication in production of a collaborative exhibition: Wai ora, Mauri ora

by Nancy Longnecker , Craig Scott

This case study of the development of a cross-cultural museum exhibition illustrates value and difficulties of cross-cultural collaboration. University researchers worked with a class of postgraduate science communication students and designers from the Otago Museum to produce a museum exhibition. ‘Wai ora, Mauri ora’ (‘Healthy environments, Healthy people’) provided visibility and public access to information about Māori work. The exhibition assignment provided an authentic assessment of student work, with a professional output. Working on the exhibition involved cross-cultural communication between Māori and pakehā (non-Māori) and between students and museum professionals. This provided a rich learning experience that took many of the players outside of their comfort zone.

Volume 17Issue 042018

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