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WG: Science Nature and Society

The Working Group “Nature, Research and Society” is made up of 22 members including researchers and technologists from 14 CNR institutes belonging to 5 Departments; the technical-scientific team of the Department of Earth System Sciences and Environmental Technologies (DSSTTA) and 7 other researchers who have shown interest in its themes collaborate in the Working Group.

The WG proposal ideally resumes the path started in recent years by some CNR researchers, supported by DSSTTA and partly merged into the CNR Edizioni Collection “Scienziati in affanno?”, which promotes knowledge of studies and initiatives that critically address the changes taking place in the relationships between nature, science and society, with the aim of inspiring new ideas and practices of research, communication and education, to address the complexity of global challenges.

The Working Group was established in December 2023 by the DSSTTA of the CNR, with Director’s Provision number 420218 of 12/30/2023 (prot.2023-CNR0A00-0420218).

Enlargement of the Working Group: The inclusion of other CNR colleagues as members of the Working Group will take place during the renewal phase of the Working Group (at the end of 2025); free collaborations are possible at any time.

Duration: 2 years from 12/1/2023 to 11/30/2025

Contacts: gdl.naturaricercasocieta@cnr.it<

WG multimedia channel: https://tube.rsi.cnr.it/c/gdlnrs_channel/videos

Content management: Alba L’Astorina and Isabella Vitali

Graphics: Fulvia Ciurlia

Context

Why a CNR Working Group on “Nature, Research and Society”?

Social, ecological and political crises – often linked to the overexploitation of natural resources and social inequalities – are inter- and transdisciplinary issues characterized by a high level of complexity and uncertainty. Crossed by a multiplicity of perspectives, values, economic and political interests, often in conflict, these issues require a systemic approach and extensive collaboration between all social actors.

To address this critical scenario, which some authors define as “post-normal”1, it is necessary to overcome the dominant narrative, which presents the science-society relationship as a unidirectional process, in which science would provide neutral, objective and reliable knowledge to support the decision-making process. In this context, the scientific community must revisit its public role, creating links not only with society but also with natural systems, towards a new, less anthropocentric ecological awareness.

This is not an easy challenge for those who do research, because it requires an attitude to collaboration between scientific and humanistic knowledge, between academic and transdisciplinary knowledge, which does not always find space in training and research paths, but which is beginning to be reflected on in international policy contexts.

The reference, among others, is to Planetary Health which, to the concept of health defined by the WHO as physical, mental and social well-being, adds a reflection on the links of interdependence between natural and social systems and promotes a holistic and interconnected vision of the planet. The perspective is in line with the Goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030, which aim to build a healthier and more just world, for all living beings, in harmony with the environment.

In this scenario, the GdL proposes to build a space for observation and discussion, in which to share tools for reading and understanding the changes underway, with the aim of exploring new trajectories, imaginaries and practices of research and action capable of addressing planetary challenges.

In particular, the GdL intends to open up to the comparison with the perspectives of the different research communities (post-normal science, environmental humanities, transdisciplinary approaches, Gender Studies, Science and Technology Studies, to name a few) that for years have been reflecting on the epistemological, ontological, social, political roots underlying environmental and social crises. The outcomes – theoretical and practical – of these studies are often little known, or remain confined within narrow circles of specialists and fail to become a collective cultural heritage capable of inspiring new relationships between nature, science, politics and society.

 

1. On post-normal science, the CNR has edited a collective volume: L’Astorina, A. & Mangia, C. (eds). (2022). Science, politics and society: the post-normal approach in theory and practice. SCIENTISTS IN DIFFICULTY? (Vol. 1): pp.296. Cnr Edizioni. https://doi.org/10.26324/SIA1.PNS

 

Objectives
  • Involve the CNR community engaged in the multiple aspects of research at the border between science, nature, society and politics, to create a network of inter and transdisciplinary comparison and propose research themes shared also outside the CNR.
  • Promote the participation of various social actors on the issues of health and climate and environmental changes in the Anthropocene to co-design and promote sustainable behaviors.
  • Promote transdisciplinary editorial initiatives to support the community inside and outside the CNR (also on the basis of the Edizioni CNR editorial series “Scienziati in Affanno?”).
  • Periodically share initiatives and events, updates on scientific literature on topics of interest to the GdL.
  • Organize meetings, communication and training events (such as, for example: workshops, summer schools, research residencies, seminars) on topics of interest to the group.
  • Identify and share possible opportunities and project calls at national and international level that can support research on the topics of interest of the GdL.
Themes
  • Relationship between nature, research, society, politics
  • Research Ethics and Responsibility
  • Communication models that go beyond the “deficit model” towards building extended communities of peers
  • Communication in situations of risk, uncertainty and complexity
  • New Citizen Science Approaches
  • Participatory research
  • Open Science
  • Transdisciplinary approaches to knowledge production and sharing
  • Relationship between science and other knowledge systems
  • New narratives and research imaginaries
  • Challenges of digital innovation and artificial intelligence

The WG intends to pay attention to the quality of the processes that will be activated, being guided by values ​​such as: openness, humility, kindness, responsibility, empathy, gratitude, justice, respect, care, non-violence, transdisciplinarity, ecocentrism. The themes will be addressed:

  • promoting and enhancing the involvement of other DSSTTA working groups, other CNR departments, national and international research institutions and universities;
  • promoting the participation of other cultural, social and political actors active on the themes of the GdL;
  • creating connections with forms of activism present in society, aware that finding solutions to environmental, social, political, economic and cultural crises is not the exclusive interest of those who deal with science and society studies nor the prerogative of the scientific community, but is a topic of public interest.
Activities

WG meetings

Seminars on topics of relevance to the WG

Participants
Administrative coordination for DSTTA

Cristina Mangia (CNR ISAC)

Interdepartmental scientific coordination

Alba L’Astorina (CNR IREA)

Cristina Mangia (CNR ISAC)

Alessandra Pugnetti (CNR ISMAR)

Components:

Caterina Bergami (CNR ISMAR)

Francesca Bretzel (CNR IRET)

Silvia Caianiello (CNR ISPF)

Marco Cervino (CNR ISAC)

Diego Copetti (CNR IRSA)

Laura Criscuolo (CNR IGG)

Amelia De Lazzari (CNR ISMAR)

Paola De Nuntiis (CNR ISAC)

Alessandra Fino (CNR IIA)

Rita Giuffredi (CNR IRCRES)

Valentina Grasso (CNR IBE)

Giorgio Matteucci (CNR IBE)

Alessandro Oggioni (CNR IREA)

Sabrina Presto (CNR ICMATE)

Massimiliano Saccone (CNR DSU)

Adriana Valente (CNR IRPPS)

Daniela Guglieta (CNR IGAG)

Domenico Ridente (CNR IGAG)

Paola Salvati (CNR IRPI)

Technical-scientific secretariat:

Isabella Vitali (DSSTTA)

Added:

Jessica Amadio (CNR IRSA)

Elisa Cannone (CNR IGG)

Marco Maria Grande (CNR ISAC)

Lucia Laurenza (CNR IREA)

Armando Mascolo (CNR ISPF)

Alessandro Sarretta (CNR IRPI)

Valentina Tudisca (CNR IRPPS)

Elisa Zanoni (CNR ISMAR)

Networking

List of groups or associations with which the GdL works or networks

Projects and initiatives

List of projects and initiatives that are promoted by the GdL or by some of its members and/or fall within the objectives of the Group