NOPR Community:

Science Communication at the Intersection of Science and International Relations: Success Stories and Learnings from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Science Communication at the Intersection of Science and International Relations: Success Stories and Learnings from the COVID-19 Pandemic Authors: Kanagarajan, Shreedhar; Sony, Reeta Abstract: The world has witnessed many challenges, such as economic slump, catastrophes and pandemics. However, the global health pandemic, COVID-19, has created quite a stir. To address a global pandemic like COVID-19 requires a strong interlinkage of science and scientific communication as a tool for global health diplomacy with joint research activities; sharing of data on infection, laboratory, diagnostics and virology; knowledge exchange including best practices, etc. as a global public good. Science being objective and fact-based has played a unifying role in international relationships. It is even more evident during global health emergencies where science and its use as diplomatic communication tool have the potential to promote peace and healthy living for communities.
In this perspective, it is essential to understand the soft power role of science communication and the autonomous role that science and scientists can play in international relations. Three cases have been analysed to explore the role of science and its effective communication as a tool for diplomatic persuasion and attraction using three classifications, namely: science directing foreign relations; science enabling international relations; and science advising policy-making. With learnings from the cases, the path ahead in the case of a pandemic like COVID-19 is projected with emphasis on 'Open Science Diplomacy' as a model for next-generation science communication and diplomacy in international relations. Page(s): 119-134

Science Education in India: A Misnomer for Scientific Temper

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Science Education in India: A Misnomer for Scientific Temper Authors: Sharma, Navneet; Akhter, Yusuf; Mir, Showkat Ahmad Abstract: Indians being ‘argumentative’ can even justify the indefensible and the conventional scientific logic and rationality appear amorphous and adjustable to us, which can be tailored to justify our firmly held superstitious beliefs and obscurantist practices. Scientific temper is a requisite to evolve an ‘Ask why’ society to sustain and reinvigorate the Indian democracy, which needs to be re-understood in the context of popular culture and pedagogical practices of science education. In this article, we tend to problematize what is scientific temper? Why scientific temper continues to elude us despite being part of our constitutional fundamental duty and framework. The aim is to negotiate with the idea of science as understood by Indians, while simultaneously deconstructing the idea of Indian science. The article will also explore the pedagogical concerns of science education in India. The penultimate question would be about the possibility of evolving scientific temper with the contemporary science education policies and system. The paper attempts to analyze how science education in Indian classroom settings continues to evade evolvement of scientific temper. Page(s): 135-145

Creating Scientific Temperament through Children’s Science Congress in Uttarakhand, India

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Creating Scientific Temperament through Children’s Science Congress in Uttarakhand, India Authors: Uniyal, D. P.; Dobhal, Rajendra; Aswal, J. S.; Chander, Vikas; Khatri, Shakuntala; Sharma, Brij Mohan; Rajput, Jyoti Abstract: Science and Technology provide hands-on guidance in every field such as agriculture, medical sciences, health care, innovations, public utility services, internal and external security, education, entertainment; information and technology, etc. The awareness related to science through informing, educating, and sharing knowledge for promoting sustainable development is known as science communication. The basic aim of science popularization is to expose the society and upcoming generations to the virtues of scientific development and to help them understand the science in their daily life and surroundings as well. Motivating school children towards science is an important aim of science communication at the school level.
The National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, New Delhi has been organizing the “Children’s Science Congress (CSC)” as one of the mega flagship programmes at the block, district, state, and the national level throughout the country since the last 27 years. In the present paper, an attempt has been made to compile the experiences of three consecutive years (2017, 2018, and 2019) of Children’s Science Congress organized by the State Council for Science and Technology. It was categorized under seven themes in 2017, while two themes were merged in 2018 and 2019. A total of 11 districts of Uttarakhand participated in the 25th Children’s Science Congress during 2017, while in 2018 and 2019, all (thirteen) districts participated in the Children’s Science Congress. The total number of child scientists from different districts were found to be diverse – 107, 142, and 138 during the 25th, 26th and 27th Children’s Science Congress of Uttarakhand held in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively.
In the present paper an attempt has been made to understand the impact of Children’s Science Congress (CSC) for creating scientific temper among child scientists and mentors. Page(s): 146-160

Mathematics Unlocked in Lockdown: A Glimpse across Indian Newspapers

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Mathematics Unlocked in Lockdown: A Glimpse across Indian Newspapers Authors: Mishra, Kumar Gandharv Abstract: Newspapers are a great medium of science communication. They have the potential to popularise mathematics and its concepts, but often their coverage is limited to news and events about mathematics, results and phobia associated with mathematics rather than mathematical concepts. However, during the lockdown period in India (March-May 2020) few newspapers tried to expand their coverage to mathematical concepts. In coverage of COVID-19 news, mathematical and statistical concepts also found space in newspapers. The paper highlights these developments in the field of science communication through some news articles as examples. Page(s): 161-169