
Why is science important for society?
We live in a knowledge society. Knowledge – in addition to mineral resources, capital and physical activity – is an increasingly important resource. It contributes to the functioning of democracies and innovation and helps countries to be competitive on a global scale. But science which contributes significantly to knowledge production, is confronted with new challenges.
The role of science in an increasingly fragmented and digital society, as well as its significance for politics and civil society, will be redefined. Science can never offer a universal truth or an objective representation of the world. It can, however, offer methodologically verifiable interpretations and can question certainties and trigger reflections. Science has an important social role and at the same time bears great responsibility precisely when the situation is not clear. How can science communicate existing uncertainties and disputes clearly and still avoid the impression of arbitrariness?
What our directors say about science and society:
What is knowledge transfer?
The interaction between science and society ensures that knowledge is exchanged, tested and reflected between the various interest groups. This interaction is often referred to as knowledge transfer. For example, one speaks of knowledge transfer when medical research is applied in practice or when certain technologies are based on prior research.
Why does the HIIG speak of science communication?
Contrary to the widespread idea that there is a unidirectional transfer from science to society, the HIIG speaks regularly of the comprehensive term ‘science communication’. Knowledge is changeable and arises out of dialogue when it is shared. An important aspect of knowledge production is the constant exchange between different actors and institutions. Therefore, one should not speak of a one-sided transfer, but of a productive dialogue between scientific and social actors. Science bears the responsibility to keep the door open for communication and to constantly examine and reflect on the knowledge it has gained.
We are committed to responsible, transparent and problem-oriented science communication (as a conceptual extension of knowledge transfer). That is why we strive for a dialogue on an equal level and for empathy for different stakeholder groups and pursue the approach of accepting uncertainties in science and making them transparent.
FAQs about science and society
Knowledge is an increasingly important resource in our society. Science contributes significantly to the production of knowledge and thus contributes to the functioning of democracies, drives innovation and helps countries to be competitive in the global economy.
Science can never offer a universal truth or an objective representation of the world. However, it can question the conditions of validity and trigger reflection. Science thus has an important social role to play.
The social effects of science communication – i.e. the consequences of a communicative relationship between science and society – are called Impact of Science. A distinction is made between internal, i.e. within academia, and external impact. Internal impact is often measured in the form of publication metrics. Impact of Science is complex and cannot be broken down to quantitative numbers.
At HIIG, Impact of Science is one of the research topics of the "Knowledge and Society" research programme, in which the effects of science on society are analysed.
Read more: In a commentary in the FAZ, HIIG researchers Benedikt Fecher, Sascha Friesike and Gert G. Wagner explain why today's methods for measuring scientific relevance prevent the perception and development of significant research.
Measuring the impact of science is complex and has significant limitations. What is important here is a mix of methods that uses both qualitative and quantitative evaluation procedures to measure the social relevance of scientific research. The IMPAQT research project investigates possible measurement indicators both theoretically and empirically.
Altmetrics are tools to measure the attention a scientific publication receives on the net. The company Altmetric, which offers the software, is part of the Digital Science Group and is an example of possible altmetrics. With Altmetric, it offers a tool that visually shows how much attention a scientific paper receives in various online media.
The Altmetric score is regarded by many as a measure of social relevance and thus an indicator of impact. Yet, the Altmetric score does not provide a serious indication of the social relevance of a particular research.
Altmetrics are only able to measure the Impact of Science for research within a limited context, because they contribute to a scenario where researchers become more concerned with maximizing the number of likes, among other things. They do not automatically increase social relevance.
Impact of Science is diffuse and difficult to attribute. It takes a long time for it to set in and the perspective of the measurement indicators and measurability can change significantly during this period.
Newsletter
Do you want to keep up-to-date with the newest developments in science and society?
Sign up for our Newsletter today.
The Institute in overview
Do you want to find out how we work?
Content Moderation – What can stay, what must go?
How can rules for algorithmic content moderation in Social Networks look like? This guest article by Alexandra Borchardt examines researcher’s suggestions.
Explaining AI – How to explain the unexplainable?
Complex automated decision making systems have become ubiquitous in our everyday lives. Should we even care to understand how AI-based decisions are made?
Tech and aging: How to enable independent living with digital innovations
The health and care sector faces a myriad of irresolvable challenges. The Digital Urban Center for Aging and Health (DUCAH) is developing digital solutions.
Ethics of digitalisation: dialogue, participation & visions
What visions do we need to implement so that an ethics-led digitalisation of our society works for everyone? We take stock.
Myth: AI will kill us all!
AI is used in various military applications – supporting new concepts of command and control and enabling autonomous targeting functions. This accelerates warfare and erodes human control, causing legal & ethical challenges.
Opening match: the battle for inclusion in algorithmic systems
How can the increasing automation of infrastructures be made more inclusive and sustainable and be brought into accordance with human rights?
Digitaler Salon (in German)
Hacking the Elfenbeinturm
THERESA VÖLKER at Long night of the sciences
What are the problems in science?
Meet Benedikt Fecher
Science, learning, innovation

IMPaQT – Indicators, Measurement and Performance of Quality Assurance: Third-Mission-Activities in the Social Sciences
