Science communication herstories: reflecting on the Greek feminist birth control movement of the 1970s and 1980s

Abstract

For decades, science communication has been occupied with the discussion regarding democracy, equality, equity, inclusion, participation, and engagement in knowledge production and circulation processes and practices. As a continuously flourishing field, its scope has been expanded recently towards the intertwinement, interaction and intersection of the public presence of science, gender and sexuality. This paper aims to contribute to this ongoing discussion, addressing theoretical, methodological and ethical concerns that I faced when conducting research about the sociopolitical aspects of (dis)appearance of knowledge and the multiple communication practices in the case of the Greek feminist birth control movement in the 1970s and 1980s. More specifically, I draw attention to the following points: (1) the question of atypical archives; (2) the question of the concept of the public; and (3) the question of boundaries. Science communication can happen in unexpected places, especially when it is generated by marginalised social groups. The issues addressed indicate the theoretical and methodological awareness needed, and the related possibilities for prioritising inclusion and diversity in science communication. This focus could reveal the rich content of science communication as a social practice, offering tools for tracing invisible or lost herstories of production and circulation of knowledge from a historical perspective.