Why we need a public understanding of social science

Lewis, Jamie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1065-6017, Bartlett, Andrew, Riesch, Hauke and Stephens, Neil 2023. Why we need a public understanding of social science. Public Understanding of Science 32 (5) , pp. 658-672. 10.1177/09636625221141862

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Abstract

Who is licensed to make knowledge claims about society? A more diffuse group of individuals are afforded the status of legitimate speakers on society in the public sphere than is the case when the questions relate to the expertise of the natural sciences. We draw on the concept of the ‘locus of legitimate interpretation’ and the sensibilities of Collins and Evans’ Studies of Expertise and Experience programme to help make sense of these issues. The social sciences are not the natural sciences, and one key difference is their relationship with publics. The social sciences are intrinsically entangled, at both the level of the research question and the research subject/object, with public knowledge, the knowledges of publics and public interests. We therefore outline what these differences might mean for a serious, distinct and purposive Public Understanding of Social Science programme and how this differs from current work in the Public Understanding of Science.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
ISSN:	1361-6609
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	18 November 2022
Date of Acceptance:	15 November 2022
Last Modified:	29 Jun 2023 17:19
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/154311

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