Videos
"Putting science at the heart of society and culture" - Panel Discussion
May 2018
This talk is co-hosted by the Oxford Martin School and the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, to celebrate their 20th Anniversary
In an increasingly populist world, where the rights and power of the people to question all elites – those holding leading positions not only in politics, but also in the media, arts and increasingly science, it is essential for those working in science and academia to facilitate a deeper public understanding of the complexities of evidence. This is particularly acute given the increasing use of rhetoric or unrealistic proposals by those wishing to gain and retain popularist power, including the questioning of scientific evidence.
With climate change being demoted to “weather events” by the US administration and Bank of England economic forecasts labelled “project fear”, public understanding of the scientific process, the complexities of data analysis, and the often ambiguous, even opaque nature of scientific findings, is needed more than ever.
In this first of two panels exploring these complex issues, Emily Wilson, Editor of the New Scientist and Katherine Mathieson, Chief Executive, British Science Association will discuss and debate with the audience on communicating science in an era of increasing populism.