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Short abstract:

In our introduction we identify three tendencies that may serve as an analytical grid to investigate how knowledge practices transform as they are tipped into an emergency mode: turbulent temporalities, atmospheres of urgency and the governmentalization of scientific expertise

Long abstract:

In our introduction to this panel, we elaborate the relation between “emergency epistemics” and “epistemic emergencies”. Emergencies caused by extreme weather events, pandemics, or large-scale accidents do not resemble epistemic black holes but are suffused with scientific knowledge practices. However, epistemic regimes are prone to change under exceptional circumstances. Normal science has to operate under heightened pressure, confronted with a demand to meet practical requirements of a constantly evolving, exceedingly uncertain situation. Against this background, we identify three tendencies that may serve as an analytical grid to investigate how knowledge practices transform as they are tipped into an emergency mode. First, turbulent temporalities: How do scientific routines evolve as they are required to navigate an extended emergency present that is at the same time characterized by accelerated change? Second, atmospheres of urgency: How does the affective order of scientific knowledge production and ideals of scientific practice become recalibrated as stressed humans, apparatuses and institutions become literally enveloped in their object of research? Third, the governmentalization of scientific expertise: How does science accommodate the political expectation to align knowledge procedures to the requirements of evaluating and intervening into a constantly critical present? Asking these questions may help us to understand the peculiar reciprocal capture of science and politics in emergency situations.