Science Centers. Which role can they play to participate in a city social reconstruction?

Abstract

Science centers are seen as places for communication of science very focused on the mise en scène of the content and methodologies of natural sciences. However, in the recent history, these institutions are transforming their role within education and transformation processes in the society they are engaged with. This communication presents a social project in Medellín, Colombia, that involves a vulnerable community, the local authorities of the city, academic institutions and NGO’s and a science center that is neighbor to this community.

Equity in informal science education: developing an access and equity framework for science museums and science centres

“…Notably, the projects devolved power from the larger institutions to community leaders, their networks and trained community members to develop scientific skills and facilitation skills, which ultimately resulted in a significant level of community participation. Aguirre (2014) acknowledges, however, that even in ambitious projects such as these, ISE institutions and practitioners need to recognise their limits, and advocates working directly with other organisations that can address social problems and needs that may be outside an ISLE's remit. Nonetheless, in the short term at least, the work of Parque Explora appeared to shift the relationships between the science centre and the Moravia community, empowering that community by making the science content involved in the environmental issues they face understandable and relevant, developing a sense of community acceptance on the part of all stakeholders.…”

Equity, Exclusion and Everyday Science Learning

“…WE FUNDAMENTALLY MISUNDERSTAND HOW EXCLUSION W Exclusion was structured by racism, class discrimination, sexism and their intersections. Of course this is not an exhaustive list, different people will be affected by different structural inequalities (see for instance Cassidy, Lock, and Voss 2016, Levin 2010, Sandell, Dodd, and Garland-Thomson 2010, Middleton and Greene 2018, Achiam and Holmegaard 2017, Aguirre 2014. But structural inequalities, especially racism, class discrimination, sexism and their intersections were key problems for people in this research.…”

Reimagining publics and (non) participation: Exploring exclusion from science communication through the experiences of low-income, minority ethnic groups

“…For instance, museums that reimagine collections with marginalised groups in ways that surface their assets (rather than deficits) and do justice to their histories, practices and values may be able to disrupt their role in social reproduction by developing more equitable experiences ( Dawson 2014a ; Dawson 2017 ; Yalowitz et al, 2013 ). Similarly, citizen science practices that combine marginalised community-based cultural or political activities with dominant modes of practice may present a useful way to rework science communication ( Aguirre, 2014 ).…”