Reputation management of academia as a "Territory of progressive science". How to protect scientific community and society

Abstract

. Academic communities are extremely fragile in the age of social media. The complex nature of highly mediated events often impedes university public relations departments from controlling for multiple risks. Many universities appear to have “a glass jaw” when faced with reputation crises. Multiple attacks on academic institutions significantly impact the regional brands of their local communities. Con-tinuous exposure to misinformation and reputational attacks produce cognitive dissonance, uncertainty and psychological discomfort among city and county residents, and the local authorities. At George Mason University, the Climate Change Communication Center is a target for contrarians. Climate change deniers attempt to discredit scholars through character attacks and promote ideas of a global warming conspiracy. Corporate campaigns, known as science bending target science and scientific communities in their ideological or economic attacks on research. Climate deniers rely on a common set of techniques to dispute the science and climate change scientists including “fake” experts, fallacious arguments and and cherry-picking scientific data. The George Mason University Character Assassination and Reputation Politics (CARP) Research Lab was founded to examine these issues in its academic mission to facilitate scientific research, theory and practice concerning defamation across disciplinary boundaries. This paper discusses how the virtual research lab is helping the university to maintain its regional brand and reputation though research, education, and risk assessment.