In “What scientists say about...”, three Radboud researchers reflect on a current topic from their own field of expertise. This time, philosopher Mathijs van de Sande, microbiologist Marjan Smeulders and social geographer Cesar Merlin Escorza discuss the relationship between science and activism. “Scientists are not quick to take to the streets.”
What scientists say about activism and science
Mathijs van de Sande: “Activism and science often serve the same purpose”
"I understand why people might think that activism and science are sometimes difficult to reconcile. After all, a scientific perspective presupposes that you can critically reflect on your position and the assumptions that underlie it. Activists are often perceived as having an unshakeable conviction in their own perspective. But it's not that simple. First of all, I see in many activist practices that people take a very self-critical attitude in this regard. Activists experiment a lot – for example, with the strategies and organisational forms they use. But they also frequently question their own knowledge and the perspective from which they speak. In that sense, activism and science often serve the same purpose: they challenge us to continually question our established worldview and social reality.
In addition, a university is at the heart of society in many ways. The university plays a fundamental role in the production of knowledge, but it also implements policies that have a social impact. Think of the climate impact of our operations, but also of the discussion about our ties with universities in Israel. The fact that students and academics also take action on these kinds of issues within the university is a form of academic citizenship that is perfectly in line with their tasks and responsibilities as academics."
Mathijs van de Sande is assistant professor in political philosophy
Marjan Smeulders: “As a scientist, you are tasked with serving society.”
“In 1972, the Club of Rome presented a report warning of limits to growth. Since then, scientists have been issuing increasingly alarming reports. They have hardly been listened to. I am deeply shocked by what climate scientists have observed. We are in the midst of an existential crisis; life on Earth as we know it is seriously threatened.
As a scientist, you are tasked with serving society. In emergencies, we must speak out clearly, based on science: CO2 emissions must be reduced much more quickly to avert the climate and ecological crisis and keep the Earth livable. With our actions in lab coats, we as scientists are calling on the government and large companies to be honest about the emergency and to bring their policies and operations in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. The urgency is completely missing. We also call on our fellow citizens to take action. The more people demand action, the sooner we will reach the critical mass needed to implement adequate climate policy.
Can you take action without losing your scientific independence? Yes, you can. The science is unanimous about the causes and consequences of global warming and how to stop it. It is precisely when we do not make our voices heard that we are not credible: then we are not taking climate science seriously. Society is currently doing too little to secure a liveable world. Scientists do not take to the streets easily. We are doing this out of desperation; for too long, no action has been taken based on scientific knowledge.”
Marjan Smeulders is a microbiologist and a member of Scientist Rebellion.
Cesar E. Merlin Escorza: ‘Isn’t it everyone's motivation to make a positive impact?’
'It was the harsh reality that introduced me to this subject. I started organising within different communities at a younger age; the books and academia came afterwards. It is impossible to separate that part of myself from my research. There is too little space in academia to think about who we are. This leads us to believe we should separate our activism from science. But isn't every scientist's motivation to change the world for the better? To enable a positive impact? We should be able to develop our scientific/academic work at the same time we engage in political action. This correspondence might actually enable transformation, which is also a reflection commonly addressed in social sciences research. However, I have still been asked whether my so-called activism gets in the way of my academic work.’
I am a person who emigrated quite some time ago, having done so at different moments in my life. In that sense, my background has shaped my research on migration and mobility and of course, my findings. It is like that for all researchers, including those who grew up in privileged Western European contexts. We are all affected by our contexts and must reflect on the methods and research topics we choose by always acknowledging our privilege. Only then will we build a more just and inclusive narrative on migration and human rights, for example. I ran into a wall at the university, created within a system of institutions whose dominant narrative says academia is not a stage for politics and activism. An oppressive system in which it is difficult to break down barriers. This difficulty is evident in Radboud and other universities' response to the protests in support of the Palestinian people, against the genocide they are being subjected to by the state of Israel and against the occupation of Palestine. An entire community of students, researchers, faculty, and support staff have mobilised to demand that Radboud University cut ties with those complicit in the destruction of an entire population. We still do not see such demands being fully fulfilled. Why does such a change fail to materialise? Perhaps because of the strong divide between scientific work and activism that persists in these kinds of institutions.
Cesar Merlin Escorza worked at the Department of Human Geography, Cultural Anthropology, and Development Studies. In September, he will receive his PhD on a study analysing the work and interactions within shelter organisations in Mexico and the Netherlands.
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