Research On China 's Scientific Communication Activism In The Transitional Period

In the traditional system of science communication, the public is the recipient while the science community, government and commercial organizations are disseminators due to the latter possessing more economic resources and knowledge resources. This study found that public initiated science communication activities as science disseminators, not just recipients. They tried to improve the relationship between science and society through their own actions. They disseminated scientific knowledge, scientific method and scientific spirit, criticizing superstition and pseudo-science in public discussion of the scientific issues. This paper studies the science communication activities initiated by the public and the people who initiated or involved in them. This paper defines “the advocate or practices to improve the relationship between science and society through actions” as “science communication activism” and “the people who advocate and practice improving the relationship between science and society through actions” as “science communication actors”.The research question: How science communication activism in China improved? What actions did the actors initiate? Can they promote the dialogue and interaction among different participants, improving the relationship between science and society? The research methods include online and offline participant observation to activities initiated by science communication actors and their network, in-depth interviews, questionnaires, and so on.The research discovered that:(1) the origin and organization of science communication activism. During the transitional period in china, the public’s awareness of individual rights arises. The reform of the political system endows the people a certain participation rights and the right to express. Thanks to the large divide between the society and science, unscientific and irrational voices often overshadow the science and rationality in the public and private sphere. To change this situation, the actors become active communicators in science communication. Science communication actors are group of activists who love science, approve the value of science and are willing to popularize science. The actors believe that the citizen have a responsibility to participate in science issues. They build a complex structured and homogeneous social network with large number of members through communication.(2) The repertories and characteristics of science communication activism. Repertories of science communication activism include individual actions, quasi-organized actions initiated by individual as well as participation in activities organized by other organizations. The individual actions consist of internet science communication, daily science communication and planned science communication. The quasi-organized actions involve GM food tasting, poker printed with health knowledge, donation of popular science books, and so on. The actors are ready to communicating science when there are opportunities in taking part in activities organized by other organizations. Science communication activism is characterized by voluntary, independent, and subjectivity of participators.(3) The effect or influence of science communication activism. Science communication activism has a most significant effect on the actors themselves. The actors are empowered through enhancing their scientific literacy, improving their communication capacities and offering social support. The personal influence of science communication activism appears in the change of cognitive, attitudes and behaviors. Moreover, science communication activism plays a role in agenda-setting, social supervision, and policy recommendations.(4) The opportunities and restraints of science communication activism. There are 3 reasons that science communication activism emerges. Firstly, political reform has provided the public chances of participating in scientific issues. Secondly, information technology reduces the cost of participation, which facilitates organization of the actors and resource mobilization of the movement. Thirdly, the scarcity of scientific spirit and the dereliction of duty of traditional science communicator increase the necessity of science communication activism in China. However, there are individual factors, group factors and systemic factors that restrict the effect or impact.Science communication activism is a new phenomenon which appears during the transition period with specific social context and institutional framework. It’s special practice of public participation in science in China. This paper increases knowledge about initiation, organization, impact and limitation of public participation and discussing the possibility of the public participating in science. On the basis of empirical research, this study illustrates the role of the individual play in science communication and develops a theory of pluralistic model of science communication, which distinguishes differrent categories of public, notes the social structure of the public, and notices the different dimensions of the information flow and influence flow in the system. This model pictures the public more comprehensively and objectively than currently existing theories, being suitable for broader social context and issues.Evidence-based principle is employed in more and more applied social sciences. However, only a handful of domestic research was related to it for a long time. This study explicitly advocates of application of evidence-based principles in the study of science communication systematically. The paper proposes grading standards for evidence-based science communication, accord to which the concept operation of “science communication” is conducted.Evidence-based principle and independence principle which make science communication free from manipulated by political or economic interests, and personal biases, offer new perspective on the ethical issues of cience communication, and damage the basement of anomie, such as false news, pseudo-balance, conflict of interest, and so on. Evidence-based principle not only of theoretical significance, but also can be instruction for practice.Public opinion is increasingly important in public decision-making. The gap between society and science lead to low quality of public discussion. The practical significance of this study lies in finding way to improve the dialogue between society and science and enhancing the rationality in public decision-making.