Knowledge Creation and Dissemination Beyond the University: Does Scientific Ethos Survive Digital Participation?

The internet and digital technologies has facilitated the participation of non-professionals on a larger scale in some activities that were previously only carried out by professionals. The initial domain of digitally enabled participation is predominantly within the realms of information and knowledge creation and dissemination, including scientific knowledge. Nevertheless, the impact of digitalization on the understanding of authority, professionalism, and authorship is not obvious and entirely clear.

The objective of the presentation is to examine some forms in which non-professionals engage in the creation and dissemination of scientific knowledge. The analysis is aimed to ascertain whether the activities, norms, and values that guide them deviate from the scientific ethos (as defined in the classical work of Robert Merton, 1973) or correspond to it.

There are various forms of digitally enabled participation within the creation and dissemination of scientific knowledge. These range from projects of citizen science that are more or less institutionally and professionally organized and guided, to internet encyclopedias and blogs devoted to scientific topics. Such cases differ not only in terms of their organizational structure, but also in regard to the normative implications that a specific organizational structure may entail. The presentation draws upon an analysis of different forms of such participation, as well as upon semi-structured interviews with individuals engaged in bottom-up organized activities. The analysis is centered upon their understanding of the credibility of sources, authority, authorship, anonymity and different dimensions of it.