In Search for New Identity of Science Communication in Russia: Between Science Propaganda and Popular Science Communication

• In Event: Communicating Science

Abstract

After a long period of Science Propaganda in Russia as an official strategy for Science-Society interrelations we can see remarkable latest transformation of the field of Science Communication from mostly deficit model to more complicated hybrid attempts to build effective communication for scientific knowledge wide spreading. Increasing number of different forms and formats arises, based both on reminiscence of Soviet model of Science Education and modern forms of gamification and Science Representation. As a latent consequence of that, we can see intensive growth of Popular Science within many social groups and population in general. That belief system consists of dense expert knowledge, epistemic hybrid folk-knowledge, quasi-scientific knowledge and practical common sense. Main research question here is whether new movement for Science Communication in Russia will identify itself with nonreflexive scientific knowledge transfer to public or with promoting scientific pattern of rational and critical thinking as social and cognitive norms. Will it be new form of deficit model? Russian Science Communication dynamics shows from STS point of view how the differentiation of Science and Popular Science can detect new multi-directional model of co-production new Scientism Belief System and how street-level users can acquire Science associated behavior, trust in Science and Scientific literacy keeping and combining it with their Common Sense and Folk-knowledge.

Author

• Andrey Kozhanov, Higher School Of Economics, Moscow