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

• In Event: Doing STS in the Post-Soviet World: The Regression of Progress

Abstract

For a long period of Soviet history in Russia the official Science Propaganda was an official policy and only legitimation for Science-Society relations. Now we can see remarkable transformation of this model and specific practices in the field of Science Communication from mostly deficit model to more complicated hybrid models of communication between Science and Public. Increasing number of different forms and formats of Science Communication arises in Russian context, which is based both on reminiscence of Soviet model of Science Education and modern forms of gamification and Science Representation. Our empirical study of Russian Science Communicators as emerging social group with specific Identity, Beliefs and Self-Representations is based on the STS-questions and answers (Horst, Davis, Bucchi). Science Communicator in Russia – is it a person or a function? Is there a new institutional Identity for Science Communicator who is neither a Scientist or a Journalist in Russia? We argue that present movement for Public Engagement in Russia identify itself as nonreflexive scientific knowledge transfer more than promoting scientific pattern of rational and critical thinking as a set of specific social and cognitive norms. We are considering social, political, ethical, ideological and other issues as essential reasons and features of this new social group, explaining form STS point of view how the social recognition is archived and maintained.

Author

• Andrey Kozhanov, Higher School Of Economics, Moscow