#FSCC21 Panel Discussion: Science and Politics

Panel Discussion "Science & Politics: Finding a balanced relationship for society" at the Future of Science Communication Conference with Prof. Dr. Antje Boetius (Alfred Wegener Institute), Dr. Janusz Bujnicki (International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw), Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn (Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies Potsdam) and Dr. Bella Starling (Vocal / Wellcome Engagement Fellow / Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust), moderated by Prof. Dr. Antonio Loprieno (ALLEA).

In modern societies, scientific knowledge and evidence is central to good policymaking as elected officials and administrators rely on this expertise to solve major societal challenges like climate change or health crises. At the same time, when science becomes part of heated political debates, public scrutiny starts to unveil a conflicting relationship between science and politics. The Covid-19 pandemic has become an extreme test for this relationship and has exposed fundamental questions: What if politicians make decisions without following their scientific advice or cherry-picking evidence to implement their partisan agenda? What happens if scientists disagree on their own advice? And to whom are science advisors accountable: to the public or to politicians?

Wissenschaft im Dialog, the organisation for science communication in Germany, and ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, organised the digital conference from 24 - 25 June 2021. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and research, the two-day conference brought together international actors from research and practice of science communication and provided an impetus for stronger networking and transfer between the Science of Science Communication and practitioner communities.