témavezető: Vicsek Lilla Mária
helyszín (magyar oldal): Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem helyszín rövidítés: BCE
A kutatási téma leírása:
A number of social scientific analyses have argued that it is important to study the relationships between science and society to gain a deeper understanding of how these fields influence each other (Hornig Priest 2010). There are more and more research projects investigating these exciting issues in the West where this has become a flourishing, innovative research field with a wide array of top journals focusing on these issues. However, compared to Western European countries and the USA, this field is neglected by sociological research in Hungary, so it has vast unexploited potential.
For those interested in these topics, I offer a range of possibilities to pursue their Ph.D., see bellow:
1. Public understanding of science and technology in Hungary
Investigating issues in connection with the public understanding of science and technology: what is the opinion of lay people on the issue and what factors influence it? The research can either deal with science and technology in general – or focus on a concrete scientific development, technology (such as alternative renewable energy sources, nuclear power, gene therapy, therapeutic cloning, genetically modified crops, stem cell research, neuroscience, genetic tests, biobanks, climate change, etc). It can be interesting to study how the lay view is similar to and different from the view of the experts, scientists and the media coverage. The question of public understanding of science and technology is often regarded to encompass something wider than just knowledge about the technologies, to also include affective components and behavioral components. Different models of public understanding of science (PUS) have emerged in the social sciences. Recently, PUS are not treated as a ‘quantitatively inferior version of expert knowledge’ (Bucchi, 2008, p. 60), but rather as being qualitatively different (Irwin & Wynne, 2004).
2. Public understanding of climate change
Many scientists have been arguing that climate change is an environmental danger which can have severe consequences for human life on Earth. Climate change has appeared as a news topic within the media in many countries (Weingart et al 2000). Although international climate change protection agreements have been adopted, as well as climate protection laws in some countries, the success of these agreements and laws has been widely disputed. Besides actions on the national and international level, widespread public engagement of individuals with the issue is important for adequate climate change mitigation.
Possible research focus of a Ph.D. work on climate change could include:
a) Investigating issues in connection with the public understanding of climate change: what is the opinion of lay people on the issue and what factors influence it? How is the issue “framed” in the media and how does it influence the perception of audience members? It is also relevant whether members of the public change their actions because of their beliefs (for example are they pursuing an environment friendly lifestyle?) (Stamm et al. 2000). What are the barriers are to engagement with the topic of climate change among members of the public?
b) Comparing the situation in different societies, for example: comparing public understanding in the USA and in Hungary. Comparing the two societies can be relevant as some researchers have argued that while affluent Western welfare states – including the USA – are “risk societies” (Beck 1992) where environmental risks caused by modernization occupy a central place in the public arena, other societies – such as Hungary – which are economically less well off, cannot be regarded as fully developed risk societies (Bukovics-Kiss 2004, Inglehart 1997, Jayne 2000).
c) Institutional analysis (this is of somewhat different focus than a) and b): Analysis of the institutions dealing with combating climate change and their impact on what is being done with respect to climate change.
Possible Methods: secondary analysis of existing survey data, expert interviews, interviews/offline focus groups/online focus groups with members of the public, analyzing web-pages, documents, analyzing online media portals, possibly a new innovative methodology: q-methodology (on q-methodology see: Robbins-Krueger 2000).
Infrastructure and Support
The research could be conducted without the need for very great resources. Science in Society topics are currently very favored by the EU, so it might be possible to get funding easier for this than for other areas in social science.
Literature
Eurobarometer reports dealing with science and technology issues
Bucchi, M. (2008) Of deficits, deviations and dialogues – Theories of public communication of science. In M. Bucchi & B. Trench (Eds.), Handbook of public communication of science and technology, pp. 57-76 – on the Internet.
Vicsek, Lilla (2014): GM Crops in Hungary: Comparing Mass Media Framing and Public Understanding of Technoscientific Controversy, Science as Culture (2012 Impact Factor: 0.489), Published online 20 February 2014.
Vicsek, Lilla (2013): “Gene-fouled or gene-improved?” Media framing of GM crops and food in Hungary, New Genetics and Society (2012 5-year Impact Factor: 1.245), 32(1),54-77.
Vicsek Lilla (2011): Costs and benefits of stem cell research and treatment: media presentation and audience understanding in Hungary, Science Communication (2011. impact factor: 2.077), 33 (3), 309-340.
Vicsek, Lilla – Gergely, Júlia (2011): Media presentation and public understanding of stem cells and stem cell research in Hungary, New Genetics and Society (2011. impact factor: 1.027), 30 (1),1-26.
Stamm, K. R. – Clark, F. – Reynolds Eblacas, P. (2000): Mass communication and public understanding of environmental problems: The case of global warming. Public Understanding of Science, 9, 219-237.
Weingart, P. – Engels, A. – Pansegrau, P. (2000): Risk of Communication: Discourses on climate change in science, politics and the mass media. Public Understanding of Science, 9: 261-283.
előírt nyelvtudás: angol felvehető hallgatók száma: 1
Jelentkezési határidő: 2018-05-02
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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