Inclusive Science Communication - Considering Decolonisation

Abstract

Science communication is dominated by Western perspectives on science, sidelining diverse ways of knowing. Recent literature advocates for inclusive science communication practice, primarily focussing on adapting existing frameworks rather than addressing historical imbalances. As such, there is insufficient consideration given to how colonialism has shaped, and continues to shape, science communication. This thesis explores coloniality and decolonisation in the broader context of inclusive science communication by asking how inclusive science communication is enacted and imagined through the positioning of science in society, the formation of science identities and the support of inclusive practice. This thesis focuses on three science communication initiatives in Samoa. The first case, an Australian Government program, examines the impacts of Global North methodologies on capacity-building and was funded by the Australian Government. The program adapts more traditional science communication methods to a diverse group of participants. The second case, a Samoan social media project, serves as a platform to explore what Pasifika science communication looks like and provides important lessons for non-Pasifika communicators. The podcast project was created by a Pasifika university student looking to create a Pasifika STEM community and is run without external funding. The third case, the Samoan science project, represents a middle ground, combining Samoan leadership with external funding. This case explores how identity develops in the space between Western science and Samoan culture, highlighting a tension between economic development and cultural identity. This study found that inclusive science communication is imagined and enacted with different approaches and priorities between Samoan and Global North science communicators. Samoan practitioners were more likely to take a contextual approach, prioritising community needs by positioning science as a tool, while Global North communicators often shape communication by beginning with a universal focus on scientific facts. Further, the research finds that the complex nature of science identity formation in Samoa differs from literature derived from the United States and can be influenced by practices of science communicators. Inclusive science communication is being supported in Samoa through valuing and platforming local expertise. The presence of science communicators that were representative of their audience created an environment that was inclusive - of culture, of epistemologies and of identities. Practical implications for the field include the need to focus on community needs when crafting activities, for building cultural capacity into funding applications, as well as encouraging self-education among practitioners to better engage diverse audiences. This study calls for the creation of culturally inclusive space for Global South communicators. Furthermore, Global North practitioners need to question a pervasive habit of 'deficit-listening', where culturally diverse individuals are only considered and included as cultural experts, not experts of communication. This thesis contributes to the field of science communication by demonstrating how decolonisation can shape inclusive science communication. By adopting a decolonial mindset, science communication can better account for the unique cultural drivers of identity and conceptualisation of the role of science in society. True inclusivity goes beyond surface-level adaptations of content - it requires creating space for science communicators from the Global South to develop and practice their own methodologies. This approach fosters culturally safe communication practices and careful dialogues on sensitive topics