Public Underst Sci. 2017 Aug;26(6):688-703. doi: 10.1177/0963662515616552. Epub 2016 Nov 21.
Public understanding of science (Bristol, England)
Birte Fähnrich
PMID: 26721551 DOI: 10.1177/0963662515616552
Science diplomacy is a widely practiced area of international affairs, but academic research is rather sparse. The role of academia within this field of politics-science interaction has hardly been considered. This article analyzes this scholarly perspective: Based on a literature review, a case study of a German science diplomacy program is used to explore objectives, benefits, and constraints of science diplomacy for participating scholars. While political approaches suggest an ideal world where both sides profit from the collaboration, the findings of the case study point to another conclusion which shows that the interaction of scholars and officials in science diplomacy is far more complex. Thus, the contribution is regarded as both a useful starting point for further research and for a critical reflection of academics and politicians in science diplomacy practice to gauge what can be expected from the collaboration and what cannot.
Keywords: globalization of science and technology; governance of science and technology; interaction experts or publics; science attitudes and perceptions; science communication; science diplomacy; strategic communication