Science to the people: A 32-nation survey

Abstract

In this article, we analyze Special Eurobarometer (2010) data via multilevel regression modeling and answer two questions: (a) How a country’s democratization level is related to the rate of public engagement with science and (b) who are those citizens who participate in science policy-shaping and express their approval for democratic governance of science? Reflexive modernization and institutional alienation perspectives are used to examine those issues. It has been shown that more democratic societies on average have higher rates of public participation in science and support for democratic control of it. Moreover, those well educated and knowledgeable in the topic of science are more likely to engage with science, which supports the reflexive modernization perspective. However, distrust in scientists being considered as an indicator of institutional alienation from science is also crucial in both predicting actual engagement and support for public control over it.