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Paper short abstract:

Taking the example of REPOD, a repository for scientific policy advice, we explore the role of open science platforms in connecting researchers and policymakers. We consider the repository as a potential boundary object facilitating cooperation between diverse stakeholders.

Paper long abstract:

Open science platforms can serve as a central point of access to scientific knowledge and expertise by sorting, archiving and making it available to relevant audiences. In our view, open science platforms can also act as a bridge between the scientific community and societal actors wanting to make use of scientific knowledge. An example of such a platform is REPOD - a recently launched repository that provides access to research-based advisory documents for policymakers in Germany.

Based on insights that were collected from interviews with potential contributors and users of the repository, we analyze what role digital infrastructures can play in connecting researchers and policymakers from three different perspectives. Firstly, we look at the producers of content for this open science platform, the researchers: How does it affect the self-understanding of researchers to provide documents to the repository? These documents are written for an external rather than academic audience and confront research with other values than those inherent to science? Secondly, we address the users of such a platform, the policymakers: How does the repository fit into the political reality of an urgent demand for not only evidence, but also for positions and experts? And lastly, regarding the repository as an infrastructure: What are the prerequisites and quality criteria that need to be fulfilled to make an open science platform between science and policy-making work? Can we regard the repository as a boundary object (Star & Griesemer, 1989; Star, 2010) that allows for diverse stakeholders to cooperate despite their differences?