Re-Thinking Science, Re-Thinking Society

Abstract

Re-Thinking Science starts from the much-discussed concepts of 'Mode-i science' and 'Mode-2 knowledge production' that were introduced in The New Production of Knowledge.' 'Mode-i science' designates the production of reliable disciplinary knowledge from within the autonomous sphere of science, while 'Mode-2 knowledge production' characterizes knowledge resulting from more interdisciplinary work carried out in close connection to a context of application. Compared to The New Production of Knowledge, this new publication displays a shift in tone, not so much heralding a new mode of knowledge production, but enlarging the former perspective and analysing the changes in the societal regime of science and technology. Regarding the critiques of the distinction between 'Mode-i' and 'Mode-2', the authors answer with a self-critique: they admit that, in the study of the evolution of science-society relations, too much emphasis has been put on the transformation of knowledge production, while broader social and historical changes have been overlooked. Common themes are the 'technicization' and the 'scientization' of society, but the 'socialization of science' is far less envisaged and explored. Pointing to this bias, the authors position the whole rhetoric of Re-Thinking Science in the perspective of the contextualization of science. The text is organized around four main arguments. First, the development of new forms of knowledge production is a corollary of broader societal evolutions. Second, although science has always 'spoken' to society, today a reversal of traditional communication channels is taking place; in the authors' phrase, 'the context speaks back' (this is the title of