How Universities Start Conversations Between Citizens And Scientists

The relationship between scientific freedom and social responsibility is a complex one. One basic assumption about this relationship is that freedom requires trust. Another is that science cannot exist exclusively in the proverbial ivory tower. It is no longer enough for science to merely publish in major journals. To avoid being misinterpreted or even misused in current social debates, it needs to have a stronger presence and proximity to people and communicate its basic values.

The development and results of our largest dialogue project to date are presented in this publication. We developed “Science, Man!” to provide citizens and scientists with the opportunity to engage in discussions as equals. The brochure is meant as “recipe” for universities and other research institutes for encouraging their scientists to communicate with people who otherwise have little contact with science.