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Date of publication Oct 27, 2025 Category: Book Review

Applying academic authority in public debates

by Brian Trench

Philip Cohen argues for social scientists to be active citizens, intervening in public debates with the legitimacy that their expertise gives them. His advocacy and advice for “citizen scholarship” are guided by his own experience.

Volume 24Issue 052025
Date of publication Sep 24, 2025 Category: Book Review

Reviewed book: Women Scientists in American Television Comedy — Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts

by Ionica Smeets

In their book Women Scientists in American Television Comedy, the three authors Karina Judd, Bridget Gaul, and Anna-Sophie Jürgens, present their study on how humor is used to portray women scientists in American television comedies such as The Big Bang Theory. The underlying theory and results are interesting to the wider science communication community, but this book might not be the best way to present them.

Volume 24Issue 052025
Date of publication Sep 17, 2025 Category: Book Review

How citizens view science communication: pathways to knowledge

by Massimiano Bucchi

The book edited by Moreno-Castro, Krzewińska and Dzimińska intends to “contribute to the general discussion on the public perception of science, the issue of information overload, trust in science sources and the most effective ways of communicating science information”. The book presents the main results of the CONCISE project funded by the European Commission. In 2019, just before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, five public consultations were conducted with citizens in Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Portugal, involving a total of 497 citizens. Four specific topics were at the centre of discussions and consultations with the citizens involved: vaccines, climate change, GMOs, “complementary and alternative medicine”. The European study is documented in detail in the book and conveys the impression of a well thought-out, organised and concerted set of activities. The list of authors includes several well-known researchers in the field of science communication in Europe.

Volume 24Issue 052025
Date of publication Jul 18, 2025 Category: Book Review

Reviewed book: “Science with Impact: How to Engage People, Change Practice, and Influence policy”

by Joanna Kelly Huxster

Science with Impact explores how scientists and researchers can extend the applicability of their work beyond academia to diverse audiences and policymakers. The book addresses the challenges faced in making findings relevant, the ways in which those challenges can be overcome, and the importance of community collaboration in the creation of impactful science.

Volume 24Issue 042025
Date of publication Jun 23, 2025 Category: Book Review

Book Review: Science and the Public

by Laida Arbizu Aguirre

Science and the Public by Angela Potochnik provides a thoughtful examination of the evolving relationship between science and society. By focusing on the ethical obligations of science, the author challenges conventional views by depicting science as a socially constructed entity with responsibilities to the public. The text explores topics such as public trust, the importance of inclusive research approaches, and the need for participatory scientific initiatives. Combining philosophical, ethical, and science communication viewpoints, the work advocates for institutional reforms aimed at making science more beneficial to diverse communities and better equipped to address pressing societal issues.

Volume 24Issue 032025
Date of publication Apr 02, 2025 Category: Book Review

Rethinking how we think about AI and common sense

by Ehsan Nabavi

`AI and Common Sense: Ambitions and Frictions' critically examines the claim of AI with common sense, a notion often assumed in human intelligence but highly debated in machine learning. The book offers a multifaceted exploration, questioning whether common sense is essential for AI and its broader implications for society and the future of technology. Spanning technical, philosophical, and social perspectives, it invites readers to rethink common sense and its role in shaping future AI conversations in society.

Volume 24Issue 012025
Date of publication Mar 31, 2025 Category: Book Review

Museums as laboratories for the future: a review of “Cultivating Futures Thinking in Museums”

by Andrea Bandelli

This review examines “Cultivating Futures Thinking in Museums”, a new collection of case studies edited by Kristen Alford. The book presents a diverse range of global examples — from the Museum of the Future in Dubai to the District Six Museum in Cape Town — illustrating how museums can cultivate “futures literacy” among visitors and communities. The anthology highlights creative approaches to navigating uncertainty, climate challenges, and social inequities, positioning museums as active participants in shaping collective futures. Particularly relevant for science communication audiences, the book showcases how science centers and museums are evolving beyond traditional roles, engaging in meaningful dialogue, and fostering proactive approaches to global challenges.

Volume 24Issue 012025
Date of publication Mar 04, 2025 Category: Book Review

Reviewed book: “The Science Media Interface: on the Relation Between Internal and External Science Communication”

by Laura Moorhead

The Science Media Interface explores how scientists and their institutions orient their research and publication criteria and processes towards those of journalists and media organizations as a way to gain public attention. The editors present an impressive range of methods, from bibliometrics, an adaptation of the Delphi method, ethnography, mixed-methods analysis, and the path analysis method.

Volume 24Issue 012025
Date of publication Feb 26, 2025 Category: Book Review

Review of “Queer as Folklore”: reimagining science communication through storytelling and identity

by Andrea Bandelli

This review of “Queer as Folklore” examines how cultural narratives and queer identity intersect to reshape our understanding of science communication. By analyzing myths, legends, and personal stories, the book illustrates how folklore operates as a form of “data storytelling”, capturing accounts of resilience, identity, and exclusion. It critiques the traditional boundaries between scientific knowledge and cultural storytelling, arguing that stories of figures like witches, vampires, and mermaids contain meaningful lessons about survival and social change. The book demonstrates how adopting a queer lens can expose power imbalances and foster inclusive communication, encouraging deeper public engagement with science.

Volume 24Issue 012025
Date of publication Feb 12, 2025 Category: Book Review

Book Review: Palgrave Handbook of Science and Health Journalism

by George Claassen

This comprehensive compilation of a wide variety of science communication scholars investigating science and health journalism, brought together by editors Kim Walsh-Childers and Merryn McKinnon, leaves one with mixed impressions.

Publisher's note: a Letter by Merryn McKinnon and Kim Walsh-Childers has been published on September 5th 2025 and is available here

Volume 24Issue 012025

Total: 109 records

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