The Ladder of Power: Science Communication and Citizen Science

Thomas Gascoigne; Jenni Metcalfe; Michelle Riedlinger

doi:10.21814/rlec.4059

Authors

Thomas Gascoigne Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2964-9535
Jenni Metcalfe Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8765-2567
Michelle Riedlinger School of Communication, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4402-4824

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21814/rlec.4059

Keywords:

participatory science communication, citizen science, ladder of participation

Abstract

On March 28, 2022, the Journal of Science Communication published a special issue on participatory science communication featuring 15 papers and essays. The Journal of Science Communication special issue sparked a debate among the four editors over the wording of the call for papers. What is the difference between “participatory science communication” and “citizen science”? Are they different points along a continuum stretching from “simple” to “more involved”? Does “citizen science” incorporate “participatory science communication”? And is all citizen science participatory? A key consideration is the level of involvement by “citizens” in these endeavours, and that consideration translates to questions of power. This essay explores definitions of participatory science communication and citizen science. It examines each of these concepts through the framework of shifting relationships and the implicit power imbalance between scientists and various publics. In doing this, we revisited Sherry Arnstein’s (1969) paper, “A Ladder of Citizen Participation”, and constructed complementary ladders for science communication and citizen science.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Thomas Gascoigne, Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Toss Gascoigne is a visiting fellow at the Centre for Public Awareness of Science at the Australian National University. He is a former president and life member of both Australian Science Communicators and the International Network for the Public Communication of Science and Technology. He is interested in the interface between science and policy. For 15 years, he was the executive director of national organisations in Australia: the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies and the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. He has published on the history of science communication, on whether the field could be considered a discipline, training scientists in communication, and participatory science communication. He has also written on the establishment of “Science Meets Parliament”, a program that allows scientists to make a case for science and research by meeting national politicians, which has been copied internationally.

Jenni Metcalfe, Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Jenni Metcalfe is the founder and director of Econnect Communication, established in 1995 to help scientists communicate about their research. She has been a science communicator since 1989, as a journalist, practitioner and researcher. Metcalfe has published many papers and articles on science communication. She has been a member of the scientific committee of the International Public Communication of Science and Technology Network since 1996. She is currently president. Metcalfe is passionate about doing science communication that creates a positive difference in people’s lives. She believes every person has a right to understand and engage with science to make more informed decisions about issues and opportunities that affect their lives. Jenni is a visiting fellow at the Australian National University’s Centre for Public Awareness of Science, and a member of the International Science Council’s expert advisory group on the public value of science.

Michelle Riedlinger, School of Communication, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

Michelle Riedlinger is a senior lecturer in the School of Communication at the Queensland University of Technology. Her research interests include online public engagement with environmental, agricultural and health research, emerging roles for “alternative” science communicators, and evidence-based fact-checking practices. Her research is informed by theories of media, cultural approaches to science, social identity, and pragmatic linguistics. She is a co-investigator on Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council — funded projects investigating the public circulation of health research and explanatory journalism. She has worked as a science communication practitioner for over 25 years on projects focused on climate variability, dryland salinity, ecology, catchment management, and river health. Riedlinger is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Science Communication. She also chairs the Web and Social Media Committee for the Public Communication of Science and Technology Network.

References

Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35, 216–224. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944366908977225 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01944366908977225

Ayure, M., & Triana, R. (2022). Participatory science communication for transformation in Colombia. Journal of Science Communication, 21(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020403 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020403

Barbosa, L., del Cañizo, C., & Revuelta, G. (2022). Participatory citizen science in solar energy research: Going beyond data collection to promote the energy transition. Journal of Science Communication, 21(2), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020806 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020806

Bonney, R., Cooper, C. B., Dickinson, J., Kelling, S., Phillips, T., Rosenberg, K. V., & Shirk, J. (2009). Citizen science: A developing tool for expanding science knowledge and scientific literacy. BioScience, 59(11), 977–984. https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2009.59.11.9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2009.59.11.9

Campos, R. (2022). Including younger children in science-related issues using participatory and collaborative strategies: A pilot project on urban biodiversity. Journal of Science Communication, 21(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020807 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020807

Cornell Lab. (n.d.). Rick Bonney. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/staff/rick-bonney/

Friedman, R., & Rosen, G. (2021). David vs. Goliath? Leveraging citizen science in Israel’s energy debates. Energy Research & Social Science, 71, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101797 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101797

Hecker, S., Haklay, M., Bowser, A., Makuch, Z., Vogel, J., & Bonn, A. (2018). Innovation in open science, society and policy – Setting the agenda for citizen science. In S. Hecker, M. Haklay, A. Bowser, Z. Makuch, J. Vogel, & A. Bonn (Eds.), Citizen science: Innovation in open science, society and policy (pp. 1–24). UCL Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv550cf2.8

Holliman, R., Adams, A., Blackman, T., Collins, T., Davies, G., Dibb, S., Grand, A., Holti, R., McKerlie, F., Mahony, N., & Wissenburg, A. (2015). An open research university: Final report. The Open University. http://oro.open.ac.uk/44255/

Irwin, A. (1995). Citizen science: A study of people, expertise and sustainable development (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203202395 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203202395

Leitch, A. (2022). Participatory science communication needs to consider power, place, pain and ‘poisson’: A practitioner insight. Journal of Science Communication, 21(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020801 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020801

Lin, C. (2022). Emergence of perceptions of smart agriculture at a community/campus farm: A participatory experience. Journal of Science Communication, 21(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020202 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020202

Metcalfe, J. (2019). Comparing science communication theory with practice: An assessment and critique using Australian data. Public Understanding of Science, 28(4), 382–400. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0963662518821022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662518821022

Metcalfe, J. (2022). Comparing science communication theory with participatory practice: Case study of the Australian Climate Champion Program. Journal of Science Communication, 21(2), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020204 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020204

Metcalfe, J., Gascoigne, T., Medvecky, F., & Nepote, A. C. (2022). Participatory science communication for transformation. Journal of Science Communication, 21(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020501 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020501

Organizing Engagement. (n.d.). Models: Ladder of citizen participation. https://organizingengagement.org/models/ladder-of-citizen-participation/

Robinson, L. D., Cawthray, J. L., West, S. E., Bonn, A., & Ansine, J. (2018). Ten principles of citizen science. In S. Hecker, M. Haklay, A. Bowser, Z. Makuch, J. Vogel, & A. Bonn (Eds.), Citizen science: Innovation in open science, society and policy (pp. 27–40). UCL Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv550cf2.9

Smallman, M. L., Lock, S., & Miller, S. (2020) United Kingdom: The developing relationship between science and society. In T. Gascoigne, B. Lewenstein, L. Massarani, B. Schiele, P. Broks, M. Riedlinger, & J. Leach (Eds.), Communicating science: A global perspective (pp. 931–958). ANU (Australian National University) Press. https://doi.org/10.22459/CS.2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22459/CS.2020

Standerfer, C., Loker, E., & Lochmann, J. (2022). Look before you leap: Assessing community readiness for action on science and health policy issues. Journal of Science Communication, 21(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020803 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020803

Thomas, V., & Cassidy, A. (2022). Practicing engaged research through pandemic times: Do not feed the animals? Journal of Science Communication, 21(2), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020205 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/2.21020205