SciSoc : a science 2.0 blog platform

Refounding dialogue between science and society. GMOs, nanotechnology, global warming, economic crisis, digital divide, most issues that meet the political agenda today mobilize scientific expertise. At the same time, traditional views of how scientific expertise fit into the public debate are no longer relevant. Science is no longer a black box from which comes the eternal truths, but is accountable for its mode of operation, choice of research topics and even procedures to produce knowledge. It must also engage with the society. In short, today, science is in the arena, and laboratories are ordered to open their doors to the public scrutiny.

A few researchers blog, to communicate with their colleagues on the progress of their research work, but also, more broadly, to communicate with the public. It is for them a mean both to explain and expose the reality of their work but also to intervene in public debate from their specific position. In so doing, they are often in situations where their voice is heard, but also contested, sometimes violently by an audience of activists, lobbyists and ordinary citizens.

SciSoc is a scientific blog platform that meets the need for renewed dialogue between science and society. It aims to encourage researchers to communicate directly about their research and provide their expertise directly into the arena of public debate. Gathering professionals, amateurs and ordinary citizens, it promotes discussion on key issues across the society and allows the strenghtening of a polyphonic political debate around these issues.

How is it organized?

1. A platform for hosting blogs: In all disciplines, open to all sciences. The aim is to reach a critical mass of hundreds of blogs, several thousands of posts providing a continuous flow of information on all subjects of research

2. A semantic interface that enables content to be interlinked across the whole platform. This avoids "archipelization" of science and allows instead disciplines and cultures to come together for a better dialogue on complex issues.

3. A portal where content is edited, valorized and linked to society concerns. The aim is to foster public participation in debates on the platform by gathering and making sense of the multitude of posts on the platform and encouraging dialogue with researchers.

Conclusion: SciSoc is a platform that gives life the concept of Science 2.0. Blog writing style is perfectly suited for this purpose because it is on the agenda of both science and society, and helps building a conversation beetween them. The platform avoids the usual caveats of Web 2.0: it relies on the participation of all stakeholders, but rejects leveling of all positions without qualification. Finally, it relies on a direct communication, which remains possible between scientists themselves as well as with the public and, on the other hand, provides a crucial editorial work on the content.

SciSoc is a project supported by C@fé des sciences and Cléo (Hypothèses)

http://cafe-sciences.org/
http://hypotheses.org/