Presentation Information
[ejb9XLcK-03]Science Diplomacy as a Space of Reflection: Knowledge, Meaning and Shared Futures
Nerina Finetto
Science diplomacy is traditionally celebrated as a neutral “bridge” across borders. Yet it is never merely an objective exchange of technical knowledge; it is an encounter between complex systems of meaning, values, interests, and competing imagined futures. At a time of geopolitical tension, rapid technological change, ecological uncertainty, and declining public trust, recognizing these hidden dimensions is essential for responsible scientific leadership and international cooperation.
This presentation moves beyond the field’s dominant, purely operational narratives to propose science diplomacy as a critical space for institutional humility, narrative awareness, and inclusive future-making. It argues that meaningful cross-border cooperation must do more than bring different experts to the table. It must enable different disciplines, cultures, and communities to actively shape how problems are defined, which forms of knowledge are valued, and what constitutes a desirable outcome.
To navigate this complexity, the address introduces narrative literacy and futures literacy as interconnected capacities for modern scientific leadership. Narrative literacy, supported by systematic storylistening, helps actors recognize the personal, institutional, and cultural narratives that frame problems, dictate whose expertise is recognized, and shape how cross-border collaborations are organized. Futures literacy complements this by moving beyond conventional forecasting to examine how present-day assumptions about tomorrow restrict or expand the futures we are able to imagine. Furthermore, the presentation highlights the fundamental interdependence of science and cultural diplomacy: while science enables technical knowledge to travel, culture dictates how meaning, memory, values, and imagination travel with it.
Drawing on storylistening and the Future Narratives approach developed by Traces&Dreams, the presentation proposes science diplomacy as a space not only for cooperation, but also for reflection, ethical questioning, and inclusive future-making. It asks us to move beyond "Can we build this?" toward a more demanding question: What kind of world are we building—and can we live in it together?
This presentation moves beyond the field’s dominant, purely operational narratives to propose science diplomacy as a critical space for institutional humility, narrative awareness, and inclusive future-making. It argues that meaningful cross-border cooperation must do more than bring different experts to the table. It must enable different disciplines, cultures, and communities to actively shape how problems are defined, which forms of knowledge are valued, and what constitutes a desirable outcome.
To navigate this complexity, the address introduces narrative literacy and futures literacy as interconnected capacities for modern scientific leadership. Narrative literacy, supported by systematic storylistening, helps actors recognize the personal, institutional, and cultural narratives that frame problems, dictate whose expertise is recognized, and shape how cross-border collaborations are organized. Futures literacy complements this by moving beyond conventional forecasting to examine how present-day assumptions about tomorrow restrict or expand the futures we are able to imagine. Furthermore, the presentation highlights the fundamental interdependence of science and cultural diplomacy: while science enables technical knowledge to travel, culture dictates how meaning, memory, values, and imagination travel with it.
Drawing on storylistening and the Future Narratives approach developed by Traces&Dreams, the presentation proposes science diplomacy as a space not only for cooperation, but also for reflection, ethical questioning, and inclusive future-making. It asks us to move beyond "Can we build this?" toward a more demanding question: What kind of world are we building—and can we live in it together?
Comment
To browse or post comments, you must log in.Log in