Skip to main content

MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT FÜR WISSENSCHAFTSGESCHICHTE Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

  • en
  • de
  • en
  • de
  • Institute

    Institute

    Founded in 1994, the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) in Berlin is one of the more than 80 research institutes administered by the Max Planck Society. It is dedicated to the study of the history of science and aims to understand scientific thinking and practice as historical phenomena.

    • About the Institute
    • About the Max Planck Society
    • Gender Equality
    • Information for People with Disabilities
    • Information for Newcomers
    • Getting Here
    • Contact Us
  • People

    People

    The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science comprises scholars across all Departments and Research Groups, as well as an Administration team, IT Support, Library, Research IT Group, and Research Coordination and Communications team.

    • Staff & Scholars
    • Artists in Residence
    • Journalists in Residence
    • Alumni (Since 2015)
  • Research

    Research

    The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science comprises three departments under the direction of Jürgen Renn (I), Etienne Benson (II), and Dagmar Schäfer (III).

     

    In addition are Research Groups, each directed by one Research Group Leader.

     

    The Institute also comprises of a Research IT Group—specialist in digital humanities—doctoral students, an International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS), and research and teaching cooperations with other institutions worldwide.

    • I: Structural Changes in Systems of Knowledge
    • II: Knowledge Systems and Collective Life
    • III: Artifacts, Action, Knowledge
    • RGs
    • RG: Validation in the Biomedical Sciences
    • RG: China in the Global System of Science
    • RG: The Final Theory Program
    • RG: Premodern Sciences of Soul & Body
    • RG: Data, Media, Mind
    • -
    • Research IT Group
    • International Max Planck Research School
    • MP Laureate Award: Historicizing Deep Time
    • African History of Knowledge and Science
    • Cooperations
    • Doctoral Research
    • All Projects
    • Past Departments & Research Groups
  • Publications & Resources

    Publications & Resources

    The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) engages with the research community and broader public, and is committed to open access.

     

    This section provides access to published research results and electronic sources in the history of science. It is also a platform for sharing ongoing research projects that develop digital tools.

     

    Researchers at the Institute benefit from an internal library service. The Institute’s research is also made accessible to the wider public through edited Feature Stories and the Mediathek’s audio and video content.

     

    • Publications
    • Library
    • Digital Resources & Databases
    • Mediathek
    • Research Reports
    • Feature Stories
    • Open Access to Scholarly Knowledge
  • News & Events

    News & Events

    The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science frequently shares news, including calls for papers and career opportunities. The Media & Press section highlights press releases and the Institute's appearances in national and global media. Public events—including colloquia, seminars, and workshops—are shown on the events overview.

    • Events
    • Institute News
    • Press Releases
    • In the Media
    • Career Opportunities

Search and Keywords

Disciplinary groups
Perspectives and Methods
Video
Mediathek Landing Page
  • Presentation
  • Apr 4, 2023
  • 00:12:38

How Can the History of Earth Sciences Help to Explain Contemporary Distrust Towards Science in General?

  • Etienne Benson
  • Dept. II

In this Latest Thinking video, Director of Dept. II Etienne Benson explains how the history of river studies helps to show more general changes in the relationship between science, local producers of knowledge, and politics. Benson highlights some shifts in mid-twentieth century river studies which saw these studies on water becoming more mathematical, quantitative, and focused on national policy. For Benson, this change is the cause of a disconnect between local river users, river scientists, and policy makers. He argues that similar processes can be observed in many other disciplines. According to Benson this example helps elucidate how contemporary distrust towards science can develop.

Correspondingly, Benson further illustrates how the new Department established at the MPIWG will investigate the increasing distance and distrust between scientists and people affected by their work. It will explore the social, political, and cultural contexts of scientific practices, and will examine a range of sciences and knowledge producers, including classical scientists and those on the ground. The goal is to better understand the relationship between different ways of making knowledge and identifying possible solutions.

Copyrights

© Etienne Benson & Latest Thinking
This work is licensed under CC-BY 4.0

More
Go to Video
  • Earth & Environmental Sciences
  • Human & Social Sciences
  • Contact
  • Sitemap
  • Imprint
  • Data Protection
Internal:
  • Intranet
  • Webmail
  • Welcome Page
  • Library
  • User Login

An Institute of
the Max Planck Society for the
Advancement of Science