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Short abstract:

The citizen sciences take many forms. They can also be seen as both reinforcing and undermining institutional relations at the interface of science and democracy. Viewed in terms of their transformative potential, what are the challenges and the opportunities? And what then is the role for STS?

Long abstract:

It has been noted (van Oudheusden et al, 2023) that citizen science should be seen as ‘valuably plural’ in form and, relatedly, as playing varied roles with regard to the relationship between science and democracy. Is there a difference here between ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ approaches? And do different forms of citizen science reinforce or undermine current relations between knowledge and democracy?

Many key questions arise when considering the transformative potential of a plurality of citizen sciences. In this presentation, I intend to raise a number of challenges and opportunities for citizen science(s) in engaging with formal institutions, and with research and innovation policy. Among these is the relationship between the citizen sciences and current debates over the assessment of research quality. Can the development of the citizen sciences provoke new institutional responses to research evaluation? Another is the connection between citizen science projects and so-called ‘grand challenges’. Does the ‘bottom-up’ nature of many citizen science projects represent a complementary or contradictory approach? As a third example, there is the general relationship with citizenship, empowerment and inclusion. Do the citizen sciences provoke us to think differently about established forms of public engagement?

Since there has long been a relationship between the citizen sciences and STS, it is also important to ask what these questions mean for our own field of study. What role can and should STS play in the possibly transformative role of the citizen sciences? And what would this mean for the making and doing of STS?