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Du siehst eine große Welle in blauer Farbe und weißer Schaumkrone. Es steht sinnbildlich für die Welle an Wissenschaftsfeindlichkeit (hostility towards science), der manche Wissenschaftler*innen gegenüberstehen.

Capacities and Competencies in Dealing with Hate Speech and Hostility towards Science (KAPAZ)

The challenge of hostility towards science threatens not only the integrity of research, but also the social fabric of our society. Its effects manifest themselves in various ways. They range from threats and attacks to public defamation of researchers and scientific institutions. Rejecting scientific knowledge and expertise poses a serious danger to democratic governance. When science loses its voice, important issues disappear from the public agenda.

For this reason, the collaborative project Capacity and Competence in Dealing with Hate Speech and Hostility towards Science (KAPAZ) aims to provide new empirical evidence on the prevalence of hostile and derogatory behaviour towards scientists in Germany. It also develops institutional support and infrastructure to actively protect researchers from attacks online and offline.

Aims and services of the project network

Currently, there is a significant deficit in understanding the extent of hostility towards science in Germany and many other countries. Furthermore, at both the individual level for researchers and the institutional level for scientific institutions, there is a lack of effective resources, counter-strategies and measures to deal with these attacks. For this reason, the KAPAZ consortium is gathering a substantial knowledge base and comprehensive empirical evidence on scientific integrity. It will also strengthen institutional competencies and capacities to deal with hostility through practical support and educational resources.

Research

In this study, scientists are asked about their communication behaviour, their observations of hostility towards science and their experiences in dealing with science denial. It also focuses on the desired competencies and capacities for dealing with hostility towards science.

Results

Survey: Hostility towards scientists

Key data

German Centre for higher Education Research and Science Studies · Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society · Wissenschaft im Dialog · Freie Universität Berlin

May 2024

Practical Implementation

As a central point of contact, Scicomm-Support assists researchers and science communicators who have become victims of attacks in the course of their science communication. It also provides support to scientists and science communicators in the management of non-factual conflicts in science communication.

Key data

Bundesverband für Hochschulkommunikation and Wissenschaft im Dialog

Since July 2023

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German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW)

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Freie Universität Berlin

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Bundesverband Hochschulkommunikation

Kristin Küter (extern)

Wissenschaft im Dialog

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Victoria Shennan

Museum für Naturkunde

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Mhairi Stewart

Museum für Naturkunde

Julia Wandt (extern)

Bundesverband Hochschulkommunikation

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Jana Wendler

Museum für Naturkunde

Lectures and presentations

Wie schutzbedürftig sind Wissenschaftler? – Die „Forschungssprecher des Jahres 2023“
Treffpunkt Wissenschaftskommunikation. Wissenschaft kommuniziert - Blog. Online, Berlin, Germany: 04.12.2023 Further information

Nataliia Sokolovska

Panels

Demokratische Wissenschaftskommunikation in Deutschland – quo vadis?
Wisskomm Connected Konferenz – Forschung und Praxis der Wissenschaftskommunikation gemeinsam gestalten. Transfer Unit: Wissenschaftskommunikation. Berlin Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften (BBAW), Berlin, Germany: 11.09.2024 Further information

Sascha Schönig

Advances in Capability Development for Science Advice - Frameworks and Tools
INGSA2024. The International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA). Kigali Convention Centre, Kigali City, Rwanda: 02.05.2024 Further information

Nataliia Sokolovska

Moderation of workshops and panels

Kommunikative Aspekte der Orientierung und des Schutzes für Wissenschafler:innen in der Öffentlichkeit
Expertise unter Druck, Orientierung und Schutz für Wissenschaftler:innen in der Öffentlichkeit. Zeit Stiftung. Bucerius Law School, Hamburg, Germany: 29.02.2024 Further information

Nataliia Sokolovska

Project network

Funding

  Term 2023 - 2025
  Financing VolkswagenStiftung

 

CONTACT

Nataliia Sokolovska

Head of Research Programme: Knowledge & Society

Background information

KAPAZ Summer School

Dealing with hostility in science communication

In this summer school on hostility towards science communication, you will learn how to deal with hostility in real-life scenarios.

PART OF THE RESEARCH Programme

Learning Knowledge

Knowledge & Society: Shifts in knowledge production, organisation and transfer

The Knowledge & Society research programme investigates the influence of digital technologies on knowledge transfer with interdisciplinary science and higher education research.