Paper long abstract:

A new approach of presenting research and science in popular and artistic ways is currently reinventing science communication. Science Slam is challenging the relation between science and society and scrutinizes boundaries of scientific knowledge. Scientists are asked to present their topic in innovative ways and speak to a generally rear seen nonacademic audience. My project focuses on the communicative construction of science in artistic and popularized genres. As one part of my research deals with the situated performance on stage (Goffmann 1981), which I analyze using video data. The other part is more concerned with the justification (Berger/ Luckmann 1969) of the action, which I will analyze using qualitative interviews.

My paper shows first examples from my field research and will discuss the question of innovation. I will sketch that a long tradition of public science communication has directed the way to a certain style of scientific communication. Following this I outline Science Slam and its specific form of communication. I will focus on the question how different forms of objectifications (Berger/ Luckmann 1969) like the stated motif of novelty, the inclusion of creative actions and reference to social structures support the idea that there is so-called innovation. This paper will show that innovations in science communication are in a tense relationship with continuing institutionalized ways of science communication (reproducing social structure), being framed as something new (call for novelty) and doing something different (creative action).