How political should science be?

"Virologists rule, politicians have abdicated," claimed the headline of one German newspaper during the Corona pandemic.

For a long period, science's own self image could be described as that of the ivory tower: discuss, but only among equals. Today, however, researchers give interviews, provide expert advice for politics, and get involved in campaigns such as “Scientists for Future.” Yet scientists are being criticized with increasing frequency with claims of their one-sidedness and overconfidence. The fear? That the principles of science could be sacrificed to populism.

Director Jürgen Renn in discussion with Anja Schrum and Ernst-Ludwig von Aster on the interconnectedness of science and politics.