STS AND CITIZEN SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM

Engaging with participatory research, technology development and science communication has been a driving force in the development of Science and Technology Studies (STS). In the field of Citizen Science (CS), where these and other themes converge, the paths of many people involved with STS in one way or another are crossing. Already the inception of the field is closely linked to STS with Alan Irwin’s (1995) concept of CS as a reference point and there is a growing number of STS researchers studying CS as their research object. However, the boundaries between doing STS and doing CS have always been permeable giving rise to a rich tradition of mutual engagement. Scholars from other academic backgrounds and CS practitioners draw on STS concepts and methodologies, while STS researchers get involved with CS projects, platforms and organisations. These engagements have been and continue to be vital for shaping participatory practice, research and the field of CS. Yet, strikingly, this vibrant cross-pollination is conspicuously absent at mainstream STS and CS conferences. Despite frequent citations, STS research on CS seems content in its academic enclave, barely reaching the dynamic, hands-on realm of actual CS implementation.

We have used an international conference on CS, the European Citizen Science Association 2024 Conference (ECSA2024) in Vienna, as an opportunity to come together and discuss STS research on, with and through CS, and vice versa. We asked, which current initiatives are underway? Are there common empirical, conceptual or methodological themes and challenges? What are the difficulties of working across research/practice and disciplinary boundaries? The call was distributed to both STS and CS networks and invited participants to an informal exchange on their work-in-progress at this interface.

The workshop was organised by Katja Mayer, University of Vienna, and Center for Social Innovation ZSI, and Claudia Göbel, University of Mainz. It was built on two previous workshops at the intersection of CS and STS (Mahr et al. 2018, Göbel et al. 2019). This report documents the workshop.