I’ve always said this - SciComm is, at its core, political. Not in the partisan sense, but in the way it sits right at the intersection of power, trust, and public good. The moment we decide which stories to tell, whose voices to amplify, or how to frame “evidence,” we’re already engaging with systems of power.
That’s why this resonated so much. What you describe - the tension between wanting to serve truth and navigating policies that devalue science - is something every communicator has felt, especially in the last few years. For me, the line isn’t between communication and organizing - it’s between neutrality and responsibility. And as science communicators, we’ve long crossed it, whether we admit it or not!
Anjana, thank you for your comment!! I could not agree more. To fail to engage with power structures is a sure path to disenfranchisement. As individual citizens, we are more powerful than we know, especially when we actually engage with systems of power and influence that are so often badmouthed…
I’ve always said this - SciComm is, at its core, political. Not in the partisan sense, but in the way it sits right at the intersection of power, trust, and public good. The moment we decide which stories to tell, whose voices to amplify, or how to frame “evidence,” we’re already engaging with systems of power.
That’s why this resonated so much. What you describe - the tension between wanting to serve truth and navigating policies that devalue science - is something every communicator has felt, especially in the last few years. For me, the line isn’t between communication and organizing - it’s between neutrality and responsibility. And as science communicators, we’ve long crossed it, whether we admit it or not!
Anjana, thank you for your comment!! I could not agree more. To fail to engage with power structures is a sure path to disenfranchisement. As individual citizens, we are more powerful than we know, especially when we actually engage with systems of power and influence that are so often badmouthed…
Beautifully put 💯- Engagement is empowerment, and conversations like this remind me why it matters so much!