Task Force on Science Communication
Co-Chair: Janice Krieger, University of Florida, USA
Co-Chair: Cindy Gallois, University of Queensland, Australia
Effectively communicating about issues related to advancements in science and technology is a topic of global concern to scholars from a variety of disciplines, including communication, social psychology, and the sciences.
To date, science communication efforts have largely emanated from a deficit model of communication wherein the goal is to simply transmit information to the public. There has been little attention to how language shapes public attitudes and perceptions and even less on the ethics of those approaches. For instance, the science of biotechnology is often framed as a moral imperative to fight global food insecurity. Framing biotechnology in this way oversimplifies both the problem of world hunger and constrains dialogue about broader societal issues related to the science.
Thus, there is an important need to systematically examine how language is currently being used to both promote and hinder public discourse about science. The purpose of this task force is to examine the role of language in communicating about science and technology around the globe.
The Science Communication Task Force held its initial meeting on Sunday, May 24th from 16:30-17:45 in the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico facilitated by Janice Krieger (University of Florida) and Cindy Gallois (University of Queensland). Nine scholars presented ongoing research projects situated at the intersection of language and science communication. Presenters and audience members engaged in an interactive brainstorming session to discuss how the task force might address how language is currently used in the realm of science communication, key areas in need of further research, and how we can use what we know to develop strategies for translating science more effectively.
Participants described research in a range of topical domains, including the association between language and important outcomes associated with well being (e.g., risk assessments, preventive behaviors) and how language is associated with the salience of social identities related to science (e.g., energy, environment, medical expertise). A central feature of the discussion was the notion of conflict and controversy among various stakeholders, such as scientists, the public, and policy makers. Many participants were interested in not only describing the extant conflict, but also exploring how language might serve as a bridge to encourage cooperation among stakeholders by identifying and facilitating common goals within scientific discourse. As such, the group has tentatively identified the following theme for the task force: “Using the science of language to identify and address conflicts in the language of science.”
As a result of the ICA 2015 meeting, a call for contributions to the task force has been developed for circulation. The call requests that potential contributors submit a cover letter and three-page paper proposal by September 1, 2015. The cover letter should describe the format of the proposed manuscript (e.g., literature review, critical commentary, empirical research) and specify the topical area of focus (e.g., energy, environment, health, etc.). The proposal should provide a brief discussion of a key conflict and/or potential areas for intervention as well as describe the theoretical considerations related to the use of language in the specified domain.
Paper proposals will be reviewed for potential inclusion in the task force by co-chairs Janice Krieger and Cindy Gallois. Authors will be notified by October 1 if they are selected to participate in the task force. Completed paper drafts will be due by April 1, 2016. All papers associated with the task force will be presented at the International Conference on Language and Social Psychology in Bangkok, Thailand (June, 2016). The manuscripts developed as part of the task force will be submitted to Howard Giles, editor of the Journal of Language and Social Psychology. Dr. Giles is supportive of considering the manuscripts developed through the task force for a special issue of JLSP. Our goal is to create a special issue that will provide a meaningful roadmap for how the science of language can inform how we translate the language of science for various stakeholders.
People potentially interested in participating in the task force should contact Dr. Janice Krieger or Dr. Cindy Gallois for more information.
** Download the CFP **
