Abstract
The dissemination of scientific culture and the public communication of science and technology have come of age in the academic, social, cultural and political fields. However, there is still a long way to go. Europe aims to strengthen a specific model in the ‘Science in Society’ strategy, while all the sectors involved are undergoing enormous changes that result from adapting to the communication and knowledge society. These changes are fundamentally linked to the development of information and communication technologies, but involve a radical economic, social and cultural adjustment. The internet marks a turning point—as did the printing press in its day—in the way things are done. The spread of science in this context is easier and more complex at the same time, although this appears paradoxical. The way has been opened for the public communication of science to be part of cultural programs at all levels, as occurred with the genesis and evolution of environmental concerns and movements. However, considerable political will at all levels (states, regions, cities) is still needed to make the necessary qualitative leap. In this regard, Spain has provided a good laboratory over the past 30 years for initiatives and experiences in the public communication of science and technology.
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Notes
- 1.
Boletín Oficial de las Cortes Generales, no. 660, 22 May 2003 (http://www.rsme.es/comis/educ/senado/I0660.pdf).
- 2.
International Council for Science (www.icsu.org).
- 3.
Declaration on Science and the Use of Scientific Knowledge (http://www.unesco.org/science/wcs/eng/declaration_e.htm).
- 4.
Exploratorium: the museum of science, art and human perception (http://www.exploratorium.edu/).
- 5.
Project 2061 is so called because 2061 is when Halley’s comet will return (its last appearance was in 1985), and that span of time is considered to be necessary for American society to achieve the quality of education necessary to be able to deal with scientific and technological changes (http://www.project2061.org/about/default.htm).
- 6.
Department of Science, Research and Environment, Obra Social ‘La Caixa’.
- 7.
Museos Científicos Coruñeses (http://www.casaciencias.org/).
- 8.
Parque de las Ciencias de Granada (http://www.parqueciencias.com/).
- 9.
Museo Nacional de la Ciencia y de la Técnica de Cataluña (http://www.mnactec.cat).
- 10.
Morales, Pol ‘Vladimir de Semir: 25 años de periodismo científico (1982–2007)’— Cuadernos de la Fundación Dr. Antonio Esteve, no. 11, 2007 (http://www.upf.edu/pcstacademy/_docs/200710_desemir_intro.pdf).
- 11.
- 12.
El País, 21 September 1997.
- 13.
‘Éste es el Año de la Ciencia para los ciudadanos’, interview with Miguel Ángel Quintanilla, El País, 7 February 2007 (http://www.elpais.com/articulo/futuro/Ano/Ciencia/ciudadanos/elpepusocfut/20070207elpepifut_2/Tes).
- 14.
Informe Final Comisión Nacional del Año de la Ciencia 2007 (http://www.upf.edu/pcstacademy/_docs/InformeAxoCiencia.pdf).
- 15.
Barcelona Ciencia 2007 Report (http://www.bcn.cat/ciencia2007/cat/MemoriaBcnCiencia2007.pdf).
- 16.
Barcelona Strategic Plan for Culture (http://www.bcn.es/plaestrategicdecultura/english/index.html).
- 17.
Europe, science and the city: Promoting scientific culture at local level, www.escity.org. The project has a continuity in the seventh Framework Programme with the new Places project: Platform of local authorities and communicators engaged in science (www.openplaces.eu).
- 18.
European Forum on Science Journalism (http://ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2007/bcn2007/index_en.htm).
- 19.
Final report of the National Science Year Committee, 7 February 2008 (www.upf.edu/pcstacademy/_docs/InformeAxoCiencia.pdf).
- 20.
Barometer evaluating and monitoring the results of the Year of Science (www.upf.edu/pcstacademy/_docs/BarometroAxoCiencia.pdf).
- 21.
Speech by the Deputy Prime Minister at the closing act of the Year of Science (www.la-moncloa.es/NR/exeres/885A3CC0-54F1-4851-B7CB-E36FCFA776E,frameless.htm?NRMODE=Published).
- 22.
SINC (www.plataformasinc.es).
- 23.
- 24.
‘Enough talk already: Governments should act on researchers’ attempts to engage the public over nanotechnology’, editorial, Nature, 5 July 2007, 448, 1–2 (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v448/n7149/full/448001b.html).
- 25.
MASIS: http://www.masis.eu/. See also Science, economy and society: Research policy (2009), European Research Area (http://www.researchprofessional.com/media/pdf/Highlights3397.pdf).
- 26.
‘Getting the word out’, editorial, Nature Neuroscience, March 2009, 12, 235 (http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v12/n3/pdf/nn0309-235.pdf).
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de Semir, V. (2012). Spanish PCST and the European Science in Society Strategy. In: Schiele, B., Claessens, M., Shi, S. (eds) Science Communication in the World. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4279-6_13
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