Creationism and climate skepticism: power and public understandings of science in America

IF 1.3 4区教育学 Q2 CULTURAL STUDIES

Cultural Studies of Science Education Pub Date : 2024-03-18 DOI:10.1007/s11422-023-10208-w

Rebecca Catto

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This FORUM article is written in response to ‘Evolutionary Stasis: creationism, evolution and climate change in the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum’ by Jenna Scaramanga and Michael J. Reiss published in CSSE in 2023. Starting from a sociological rather than pedagogical standpoint, the article aims to situate Accelerated Christian Education’s curriculum in relation to evolution and climate change in its broader context. This broader context comprises a national situation of Culture Wars where views on science and religion are politically polarized and morally inflected. Creationism and climate change denial/skepticism occur together and connect to right-wing politics. Climate change denial also clearly connects to corporate interests. Struggles for political, economic, ideological, and epistemic power all pertain. Reference is then made to recently collected focus group data to illustrate how non-creationist publics may also define science narrowly and inaccurately and yet still support it. The influence of evolution and climate change denialists must not be overstated. However, the harm of inaccurate, pseudoscientific education also requires examination. Nothing less than the Earth’s future is at stake, and education is a key battlefield. Science educators have an important role to play, working with patience, empathy, and awareness.

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创世论与气候怀疑论：美国权力与公众对科学的理解

这篇论坛文章是对 Jenna Scaramanga 和 Michael J. Reiss 于 2023 年发表在 CSSE 上的《进化停滞：基督教速成教育课程中的创世论、进化论和气候变化》的回应。文章从社会学而非教育学的角度出发，旨在将基督教速成教育课程中与进化论和气候变化有关的内容置于更广泛的背景中。这一更广泛的背景包括全国范围内的文化战争，在这种文化战争中，人们对科学和宗教的看法在政治上两极分化，在道德上有所偏差。创造论和气候变化否认/怀疑论同时出现，并与右翼政治相联系。否认气候变化显然也与企业利益有关。政治、经济、意识形态和认识论权力的斗争都与此有关。随后，我们参考了最近收集的焦点小组数据，以说明非进化论者的公众也可能狭隘地、不准确地定义科学，但仍然支持科学。进化论和气候变化否定论者的影响绝不能被夸大。然而，不准确的伪科学教育的危害也需要审视。地球的未来岌岌可危，而教育是一个关键的战场。科学教育工作者可以发挥重要作用，以耐心、同理心和觉悟开展工作。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Cultural Studies of Science Education Multiple-

CiteScore

3.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Cultural Studies of Science Education is a peer reviewed journal that provides an interactive platform for researchers working in the multidisciplinary fields of cultural studies and science education. By taking a cultural approach and paying attention to theories from cultural studies, this new journal reflects the current diversity in the study of science education in a variety of contexts, including schools, museums, zoos, laboratories, parks and gardens, aquariums and community development, maintenance and restoration. This journal focuses on science education as a cultural, cross-age, cross-class, and cross-disciplinary phenomenon; publishes articles that have an explicit and appropriate connection with and immersion in cultural studies; seeks articles that have theory development as an integral aspect of the data presentation; establishes bridges between science education and social studies of science, public understanding of science, science/technology and human values, and science and literacy; builds new communities at the interface of currently distinct discourses; aims to be a catalyst that forges new genres of and for scholarly dissemination; provides an interactive dialogue that includes the editors, members of the review board, and selected international scholars; publishes manuscripts that encompass all forms of scholarly activity; includes research articles, essays, OP-ED, critical, comments, criticisms and letters on emerging issues of significance.