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Narratives of Science and Scientists: Heroes, Monsters and Victims

Sat, September 2, 11:00am to 12:30pm, Sheraton Boston, Floor: 3, Jefferson

Session Submission Type: Traditional (Closed) Panel

Abstract

From Victor Frankenstein’s hidden laboratory to the modern cloning facilities of Jurassic Park, images of science, technology, and their practitioners have undergone a myriad of changes over the last few centuries. These changes have given birth to popular culture narratives which present an ambivalent picture of scientists: while they are sometimes depicted as heroes saving mankind from extinction, they are also frequently portrayed as monsters who terrorize the world through their mad or irresponsible actions. Scientists may even fall victim to their own hubris, unleashing catastrophic events that endanger the future of humankind. Since these narratives reflect social understandings of science and technology, scrutinizing them may allow us to explore how the public thinks and feels about contemporary science and technology and the scientific community. More importantly, these popular images of scientists might give people new ways to understand and appreciate diverse scientific practices and enterprises. Rather than attempting to present a unified vision of what a scientist is, these narratives offer the scientific community and the public opportunities to embrace the diversity and complexity of contemporary scientific and technological practices. This session will investigate the multifaceted impact of science narratives on how the public as well as the scientific community think about science, technology and scientists. We invite scholars and artists from various disciplines to discuss how different mediums give form to these narratives, and the different ways people use these narratives for conceptualizing science.

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