Physics is in many respects related to society: New findings of physical research are communicated in the media to an interested public. Citizens can participate in political decision-making e.g. on ... read more
Physics is in many respects related to society: New findings of physical research are communicated in the media to an interested public. Citizens can participate in political decision-making e.g. on the risks of nanomaterials in consumer products or on the question how to find permanent disposals for nuclear waste. Citizen Science projects enable non-scientists to participate in research, e.g. in astrophysics. All these developments raise questions: Which images of science are conveyed to the public? Should scientists exert more influence on how physics is presented in the media? Should citizens have more say in scientific research, e.g. on the funding of research? How much should the public know about physics or science in general? Should scientists be responsible for the potential consequences of their research? These questions will be discussed in the seminar by means of studies from sociology of science that deal with these topics.
