Published on 1 April 2025
Scinuance’s ambition is simple: to help everyone form an informed opinion on major societal issues—not by claiming that “science is always right”, but by reminding that it offers markers too often overlooked in public debates. This approach builds on a well-documented observation: the relationship between science and society is experiencing both renewed interest and significant tensions.
Many studies show that scientific information sometimes struggles to reach the public, even as societal challenges (climate, health, technologies) demand greater collective understanding. According to a literature review, there is now a growing tendency to “engage more with the public”, a shift that benefits both scientific institutions and the legitimacy of science (Open Science and the Science-Society Relationship, 2019).
Why bring science back into public debate?
Several works underline that science is facing a crisis of trust documented over more than twenty years (Bergh et al., 2017; Millstone & Zwanenberg, 2000; Open Science, 2020). In this context, understanding and explaining how knowledge is produced becomes essential.
Research on trust in science also shows that surveys tend to focus mainly on trust in “science” as an abstract whole, while trust in scientists or institutions is less measured—leaving blind spots in our understanding of the relationship with the public (How Representative Surveys Measure Public (Dis)trust in Science, 2021).
These observations strengthen the need to make science more open, understandable and connected to societal concerns.
The contribution of Open Science: transparency, accessibility, participation
Scientific literature widely presents Open Science as a lever to rebuild the science–society relationship. Open data, reproducibility, open access to knowledge and citizen engagement are practices that aim to improve both transparency and the social utility of science.
Several studies show that Open Science can strengthen the societal impact of research by improving education, awareness and public engagement (The Societal Impact of Open Science, 2024). Others emphasize that opening science is perceived as a way to align research more closely with societal needs, build trust and improve research quality (Meaningful Public Engagement in the Context of Open Science, 2022).
However, several works also highlight the risks and inequalities associated with this transition: digital divides, disparities in skills and persistent asymmetries between actors (Dynamics of Cumulative Advantage and Threats to Equity in Open Science, 2021). Making science more open is therefore not enough: everyone must also be able to use it.
The role of the public in science
Research on citizen participation shows that science benefits from co-production approaches that encourage dialogue and help society better understand scientific issues. Participation in research—such as in citizen science projects—thus becomes a vector of science communication (A Question of Dialogue?, 2021).
Likewise, strengthening skills and training related to Open Science contributes to improving the understanding and accessibility of research within society (Developing Competence in Open Science, 2024).
Why Scinuance?
Scinuance fully aligns with this movement: making science more accessible, more intelligible and more present in public debates. The goal is not to oversimplify or settle controversies in the name of a monolithic science, but to offer clear markers grounded in available knowledge and its uncertainties.
Scientific research shows that openness, dialogue and transparency are essential conditions for rebuilding trust and improving the science–society relationship (Making Open Science Work for Science and Society, 2019).
This is precisely the vision that Scinuance aims to promote.
References
- Elliott, K., & Resnik, D. (2019). Making Open Science Work for Science and Society.
- Hu, C.-P., et al. (2020). Open Science.
- Wehn, U., et al. (2021). How Representative Surveys Measure Public (Dis)trust in Science.
- Cole, N. L., et al. (2022). Meaningful Public Engagement in the Context of Open Science.
- Kovalenko, V., et al. (2024). The Societal Impact of Open Science.
- Drach, I., et al. (2021). Dynamics of Cumulative Advantage and Threats to Equity in Open Science.
- Logullo, P., et al. (2022). A Question of Dialogue?.
- Krishna, V. (2024). Developing Competence in Open Science.
- Kumar, N. (2019). Open Science and the Science–Society Relationship.