Teresa Völker interviewed Jeanette Hofmann about the role of science communication in fragmented publics, the impact of social media on democratic discourse, and why scientists shouldn’t retreat from social media.
Elephant in the lab
Science under pressure
In liberal democracies around the globe, science and its institutional environment are increasingly under pressure. In various places, universities and research organisations face budget cuts, political interference, and rising scrutiny. Scientific expertise is being instrumentalised, challenged, or even outright dismissed — not only by fringe actors, but also by public institutions. These developments are not limited to headline-grabbing attacks on climate science or public health research. They manifest in structural shifts: shrinking funding, changing research priorities, growing precarity, and contested authority in public discourse. At the same time, digital platforms amplify disinformation, accelerate backlash against scholars, and heighten the risks of public engagement.
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