Worldwide Virtual Network of Practitioners Working on Science and Society Issues

Jerry Ravetz writes that the Milan workshop Interfaces between Science and Society1 was "a landmark in the evolution of science" because "although it is not celebrating or evaluating any particular discoveries or inventions, it reflects on, and hence consolidates, a radical change in the social practice of science" (Ravetz 2003). Scientists from many diverse disciplines are engaged in the field of science–society interactions, which integrates epistemologically based and practice-oriented insights. No scientific approach alone can give a view on the topic. Here, researchers and practitioners leave behind mainstream perspectives and take up the challenge of working in the epistemic boundaries of their academic backgrounds. They aim to get close to other branches of science and to address non-expert knowledge with the aim of building perspectives that raise a more plural interpretation of reality. The particular conditions of the study of science & society interactions attract many newcomers. This was apparent at the Milan workshop and was the main reason for proposing the creation of the Worldwide Virtual Network of Practitioners Working on Science and Society Issues. The workshop in Milan should not be seen as yet another event or an isolated event; a process of interaction had started and we decided to exploit it further. The first decision was to create a network. Second and because of the geographical diversity of people interested, we thought it should be virtual. This latter choice led us to choose a web-based technology as the main tool for the implementation of this project. The work carried out so far is described at http://alba.jrc.it/ibss (7 July 2006).

AGUERA CABO Mercedes;  MARTINHO GUIMARAES PIRES PEREIRA Angela; 

2007-01-23

Greenleaf Publishing

JRC35209

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC35209,