“Public communication science in times of the Covid-19 crisis”: DACH 21 preconference

Abstract

What is public science? What can communication science scholars contribute to society, especially in times of crisis? What are the challenges and limitations of such engagement? These questions were addressed at a recent preconference held on April 7, 2021, titled “Public communication science in times of the Covid-19 crisis”. The preconference was organized as part of the DACH 21 conference (the first three-country conference on commu nication science) and was held online with more than 50 participants. It was an excellent opportunity to stimulate discussion among Swiss, Austrian, and German scholars regarding the self-understanding and societal role of the discipline. The preconference was hosted by the association Öffentliche Medienund Kommunikations wissenschaft (Public Media and Communication Science, PMCS), which aims to establish, promote, and further develop the concept of public science in the field. The co-presidents of the PMCS association, Prof. Dr. Marlis Prinzing (Hochschule Macro media Köln) and Prof. Dr. Mark Eisenegger (University of Zurich), welcomed all participants to the preconference. They emphasized that the preconference aimed to bring together diverse perspectives and to reflect on principles as laid out in the charter of the association (https://oeffentliche-kowi.org/charta/). This charter consists of fifteen principles and was signed by more than 250 scholars.