Repower America? Science Communication and the Obama Presidency
By Matthew C. Nisbet
As President Barack Obama takes office, his Administration faces a host of science policy challenges that are likely to necessitate a re-thinking of traditional approaches to public communication. Some challenges, such as passing meaningful climate change legislation, will require the application of principles from political campaigning. Other challenges -- such as engaging the public on the risks and ethics of biomedical research, nanotechnology, and neuroscience -- will require government agencies and scientists to adopt new modes of communication, directly involving the public in decision-making. In each area, to be successful, the Obama administration will need to boost funding for science communication research and initiatives.
On climate change legislation, polls show that a sizable proportion of Americans continue to refute that human activity is at the root of the problem, while climate change ranks at the bottom of the public's policy priorities. In the context of an economic recession and two wars, absent a shift in the polls and a surge in input from a diversity of constituents, it is unlikely fence-sitters in Congress will take on the political risks of passing major policy initiatives such as an emissions cap and trade bill or ratifying a major international climate treaty.
The continued perceptual gridlock on climate change has little to do with science literacy, a lack of respect for science, poor reporting on the part of journalists, or a decline in the science beat at major news organizations such as CNN. Indeed, it is time to stop blaming the public, journalists, and media conglomerates. The communication burden instead rests with political leaders, scientists, advocates, and policy experts.
It is time to turn the page on the "war on science," "inconvenient truths," and "denier" rhetoric that were battle cries for the Left during the Bush administration and the 2008 election. The raw emotion that continues to fuel this focus is in part understandable. Earlier this decade, when groups needed to be rallied to defend science, these frame devices served a purpose ...
To Read More of This Column Visit: http://www.csicop.org/scienceandmedia/repower-america/
Categories: environment, climate-change, usa, global-warming, politics, obama
As President Barack Obama takes office, his Administration faces a host of science policy challenges that are likely to necessitate a re-thinking of traditional approaches to public communication. Some challenges, such as passing meaningful climate change legislation, will require the application of principles from political campaigning. Other challenges -- such as engaging the public on the risks and ethics of biomedical research, nanotechnology, and neuroscience -- will require government agencies and scientists to adopt new modes of communication, directly involving the public in decision-making. In each area, to be successful, the Obama administration will need to boost funding for science communication research and initiatives.
On climate change legislation, polls show that a sizable proportion of Americans continue to refute that human activity is at the root of the problem, while climate change ranks at the bottom of the public's policy priorities. In the context of an economic recession and two wars, absent a shift in the polls and a surge in input from a diversity of constituents, it is unlikely fence-sitters in Congress will take on the political risks of passing major policy initiatives such as an emissions cap and trade bill or ratifying a major international climate treaty.
The continued perceptual gridlock on climate change has little to do with science literacy, a lack of respect for science, poor reporting on the part of journalists, or a decline in the science beat at major news organizations such as CNN. Indeed, it is time to stop blaming the public, journalists, and media conglomerates. The communication burden instead rests with political leaders, scientists, advocates, and policy experts.
It is time to turn the page on the "war on science," "inconvenient truths," and "denier" rhetoric that were battle cries for the Left during the Bush administration and the 2008 election. The raw emotion that continues to fuel this focus is in part understandable. Earlier this decade, when groups needed to be rallied to defend science, these frame devices served a purpose ...
To Read More of This Column Visit: http://www.csicop.org/scienceandmedia/repower-america/
Categories: environment, climate-change, usa, global-warming, politics, obama
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