| Friday, October 10, 2025 11.15 – 12.45 Room: P1 | |
| Panellists: Dirk Baier, Mike S. Schäfer, Kathrin Kühn, Gerald Wagner Moderation: Holger Lengfeld |
Abstract:
In addition to research and teaching, the “third mission” of universities is becoming increasingly important, namely the transfer of scientific knowledge to the public. Traditionally, the mass media act as a filter that reports on small parts of a field’s scientific output. With the help of social media, such as podcasts, blogs, or short messaging services, some contemporary scientists are beginning to reach a wider audience directly. This panel will discuss how sociology compares with other disciplines when it comes to transferring its findings to the public. How do journalists decide which disciplines to refer to in their science reporting, especially when it comes to subjects that are investigated by several disciplines, for example education, labor, family, migration, or the environment? To what extent, and why, is sociology perceived in German quality media as subject matter for the “feuilleton” (i.e., the culture section) rather than the science section? How should scientific findings be communicated to arouse interest in the media and its consumers? How is the public perception and impact of science changing due to the trend towards unfiltered “open access” to research output? What challenges arise from the fact that scientific findings may contradict each other, meet scientific quality criteria to varying degrees, and increasingly compete with content generated by AI?
Prof. Dr. Dirk Baier studied sociology at the University of Chemnitz. He then worked on a research project on right-wing extremism. Between 2005 and 2015, he was initially a research associate and then deputy director of the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony, where he conducted empirical projects on youth crime and the perception of crime, among other things. Since 2015, he has been head of the Institute for Delinquency and Crime Prevention at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences; since 2024, he has also been Professor of Criminology at the University of Zurich. His work focuses on the topics of crime, violence and extremism.
Prof. Dr. Mike S. Schäfer is Full Professor of Science Communication and Head of Department at IKMZ – the Department of Communication and Media Research of the University of Zurich. He is also Director of the university’s Center of Higher Education and Science Studies (CHESS) and PI of the Swiss Science Barometer. Schäfer’s work focuses on public communication and public perceptions of science and technology, particularly on the issues of AI and climate change, as well as on science-related populism and conspiracy theories.
Dr. Kathrin Kühn is a science editor and presenter for the public audio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk (her shows include Systemfragen and Forschung aktuell). She studied journalism and completed her doctorate on automated relevance decisions for podcasting. Her work focuses, among others, on polarization, right-wing extremism, and socio-economic disadvantages. Additionally, Kathrin Kühn gives workshops for young journalists on the relevance of individuals’ socialization in journalistic reporting. Before joining Deutschlandfunk in 2021, she worked as a news journalist at WDR, beginning in 2003.
Dr. Gerald Wagner writes about society and politics as a freelance journalist for newspapers (among others, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung). He studied history, philosophy, and German language and literature, as well as political science, and gained a doctorate in sociology.
Prof. Dr. Holger Lengfeld is Full Professor of Sociology, Institutions, and Social Change at Leipzig University and a senior researcher at the government-funded Research Institute for Social Cohesion (RISC). His research focuses on political sociology, social cohesion, and inequality. Most recently, he led a research team on ethnic discrimination in German public authorities. His professional passion lies in communicating sociological findings to the public.