Ed Dawson
Biographic Data
| ID | 304472 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Ed Dawson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Ed |
| FAMILY NAME | Dawson |
| SIGNATURE | DAWSON E |
| AFFILIATIONS | King's College London |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7152-6032 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 48 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2006 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Science communication, politics and power: Social justice perspectives
Concerns about social justice are long standing across many fields. In this article, we outline key social justice concepts in relation to science communication, before examining the politics of science and science communication in more detail. We argue more focus is needed on how certain forms of politics and power travel through science and science communication in ways that have created, reinforced and/or ameliorated structural inequities. We …
We Have to, Like, Make Science”: Cultural Producers and the Production of Scientific Knowledge in UK Mass Media
Science saturates popular culture, but how might we understand the roles played by popular culture in producing scientific knowledge? Based on fieldwork and interviews with cultural producers in the United Kingdom, this article examines how cultural producers co-produce scientific knowledge and media products. This article engages with the slippery boundaries between media and scientific practices, examining the nuances, parameters and dynamics t…
Smallpox baby revisited: Exploring an authorised science heritage discourse in science museum exhibitions
Based on research in two exhibitions in a science museum in the UK, this paper explores how science and society relationships are constructed through the display of one specific object, a WHO leaflet about smallpox. I trace the display of this leaflet through two exhibitions about medicine, 40 years apart. Drawing on the concept of the authorised heritage discourse and work in Black studies and Science and Technology Studies, I analyse the displa…
Inclusion for STEM, the institution, or minoritized youth? Exploring how educators navigate the discourses that shape social justice in informal science learning practices
Understanding equitable practice is crucial for science education since science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and STEM learning practices remain significantly marked by structural inequalities. In this paper, building on theories of discourse and situated meaning developed by Foucault, Gee, and Sedgewick, we explore how educators navigated discourses about social justice in informal science learning (ISL) across four UK …
Social inequality determines science museums attendance in Latin America: A Quantitative Analysis of Data From Seven Countries
This paper examines cultural engagement with science in Latin America based on probabilistic models derived from quantitative data gathered on public perceptions of science. We explore the influence of social stratification and contextual factors -gender, age, education, socioeconomic level, and interest in science, among others- on visiting science museums in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, and Paraguay. The data suggest t…
Interested but not being served: Mapping young people’s participation in informal STEM education through an equity lens
It is commonly assumed that the reason many young people do not participate in informal STEM education (ISE) is because they lack interest in STEM. This paper draws on survey (n = 1,624) and qualitative data (n = 36) with young people aged 11–14 to examine the ways in which science dispositions, demographic characteristics, ‘consumption’ of cultural practices and exclusion interact to produce unequal forms of STEM participation. Latent class anal…
Changing the field: A Bourdieusian analysis of educational practices that support equitable outcomes among minoritized youth on two informal science learning programs
Supporting more equitable participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remains a key, persistent educational challenge. This paper employs a sociological Bourdieusian lens to explore how equitable youth outcomes might be supported through informal science learning (ISL). Drawing on multimodal, ethnographic data from four case study youth aged 11–14 from two ISL programs, we identify four areas of practice that were en…
Equity, Exclusion and Everyday Science Learning: The Experiences of Minoritised Groups
Equity, Exclusion and Everyday Science Learning explores how some people are excluded from science education and communication. Taking the role of science in society as a starting point, it critically examines the concept of equity in science learning and develops a framework to support inclusive change. This book presents a theoretically informed, empirically detailed analysis of how people from minoritised groups in the UK experience science an…
Selfies at the science museum: Exploring girls’ identity performances in a science learning space
Science education has a seemingly intractable gender problem and remains largely the reserve of White, middle-class men and boys, especially in the physical sciences. In this paper, taking an intersectional approach to Butler’s idea of identity as performance, we explore the affordances and limitations of a specific science learning space (a science museum) for girls. We discuss four types of performance, one based on ‘good’ behaviour, one combin…
Using Bourdieu in practice? Urban secondary teachers’ and students’ experiences of a Bourdieusian-inspired pedagogical approach
This article discusses an attempt at a Bourdieusian-inspired form of praxis, developed and implemented in collaboration with nine London teachers, aimed at developing a socially just approach to engaging students with science. Data are discussed from nine months of classroom observations of nine secondary science classes from six inner London schools (approximately 200 students, aged 11–15), interviews and workshop data from the nine teachers and…
Reimagining publics and (non) participation: Exploring exclusion from science communication through the experiences of low-income, minority ethnic groups
This article explores science communication from the perspective of those most at risk of exclusion, drawing on ethnographic fieldwork. I conducted five focus groups and 32 interviews with participants from low-income, minority ethnic backgrounds. Using theories of social reproduction and social justice, I argue that participation in science communication is marked by structural inequalities (particularly ethnicity and class) in two ways. First, …
“Science capital”: A conceptual, methodological, and empirical argument for extending bourdieusian notions of capital beyond the arts
This paper sets out an argument and approach for moving beyond a primarily arts‐based conceptualization of cultural capital, as has been the tendency within Bourdieusian approaches to date. We advance the notion that, in contemporary society, scientific forms of cultural and social capital can command a high symbolic and exchange value. Our previous research [Archer et al. (2014) Journal of Research in Science Teaching 51, 1–30] proposed the conc…
“Not Designed for Us”: How Science Museums and Science Centers Socially Exclude Low‐Income, Minority Ethnic Groups
This paper explores how people from low‐income, minority ethnic groups perceive and experience exclusion from informal science education (ISE) institutions, such as museums and science centers. Drawing on qualitative data from four focus groups, 32 interviews, four accompanied visits to ISE institutions, and field notes, this paper presents an analysis of exclusion from science learning opportunities during visits alongside participants’ attitude…
Equity in informal science education: Developing an access and equity framework for science museums and science centres
Informal science education (ISE) is a popular pursuit, with millions of people visiting science museums, science centres, zoos, botanic gardens, aquaria, science festivals and more around the world. Questions remain, however, about how accessible and inclusive ISE practices are. This article reviews research on participation in ISE through the lens of social inclusion and equity and suggests that, as a field of practice, ISE is exclusive, with re…
Dialogue and Synthesis: Developing Consensus in Visitor Research Methodology
This brief synthesis presents the main points of agreement between Dawson and Jensen's article, “‘Towards a ‘Contextual Turn’ in Visitor Studies: Evaluating Visitor Segmentation and Identity-Related Motivations” (this issue) and Falk's reply, “Contextualizing Falk's Identity-Related Visitor Motivation Model” (this issue), and it highlights important considerations for future research
Towards A Contextual Turn in Visitor Studies: Evaluating Visitor Segmentation and Identity-Related Motivations
This article assesses the use of audience segmentation in visitor studies by analyzing its application in the identity model of visitors proposed by J. Falk (2009) and J. Falk et al. (2007). As a leading example of visitor segmentation, the authors examine this model's application in a specific case at U.S. zoos to elaborate some of its limitations. Conventional short-term, episodic approaches to visitor research should be challenged and suppleme…
Psychotropic medication oversight for youth in foster care: A national perspective on state child welfare policy and practice guidelines
Oh Yes, Robots! People Like Robots; the Robot People Should do Something: Perspectives and Prospects in Public Engagement With Robotics
Governmental and institutional policy making in a number of countries has embedded public engagement strategies as a primary channel to connect citizens with scientific and technological innovation. Robotics is emerging as a key site for such new technological activity and its applications are likely to be increasingly notable in our lives in coming years. Robotics researchers are investing considerable time and effort in “engaging” publics. Conc…
Mediating Science and Society in the EU and UK: From Information-Transmission to Deliberative Democracy
Genetic testing in a drama and discussion workshop: Exploring knowledge construction
In this pilot project, drama was used to situate genetic testing in a social and cultural context – that of the family. The drama was used to stimulate discussion about social issues relating to genetic testing, such as who has the right to know the results of the test and whether participants would want to know their ‘genetic future’. A 10-minute, open-ended drama was developed as stimulus for a further 40-minute discussion-based workshop that f…
The legal and practical implications of recent attacks on 128-bit cryptographic hash function
This paper discusses the legal and practical implications of attacks, presented at Crypto ’2004, against various 128–bit hash functions and in particular MD5 due to its wide usage. These attacks are significant because a number of important applications depend on MD5. It is argued in this paper that the MD–x style of hash function designs for various applications can be a single point of failure. New hash function design schemes with some strict …
Reimagining publics and (non) participation: Exploring exclusion from science communication through the experiences of low-income, minority ethnic groups
This article explores science communication from the perspective of those most at risk of exclusion, drawing on ethnographic fieldwork. I conducted five focus groups and 32 interviews with participants from low-income, minority ethnic backgrounds. Using theories of social reproduction and social justice, I argue that participation in science communication is marked by structural inequalities (particularly ethnicity and class) in two ways. First, …
Mediating Science and Society in the EU and UK: From Information-Transmission to Deliberative Democracy
Oh Yes, Robots! People Like Robots; the Robot People Should do Something: Perspectives and Prospects in Public Engagement With Robotics
Governmental and institutional policy making in a number of countries has embedded public engagement strategies as a primary channel to connect citizens with scientific and technological innovation. Robotics is emerging as a key site for such new technological activity and its applications are likely to be increasingly notable in our lives in coming years. Robotics researchers are investing considerable time and effort in “engaging” publics. Conc…
Selfies at the science museum: Exploring girls’ identity performances in a science learning space
Science education has a seemingly intractable gender problem and remains largely the reserve of White, middle-class men and boys, especially in the physical sciences. In this paper, taking an intersectional approach to Butler’s idea of identity as performance, we explore the affordances and limitations of a specific science learning space (a science museum) for girls. We discuss four types of performance, one based on ‘good’ behaviour, one combin…
Interested but not being served: Mapping young people’s participation in informal STEM education through an equity lens
It is commonly assumed that the reason many young people do not participate in informal STEM education (ISE) is because they lack interest in STEM. This paper draws on survey (n = 1,624) and qualitative data (n = 36) with young people aged 11–14 to examine the ways in which science dispositions, demographic characteristics, ‘consumption’ of cultural practices and exclusion interact to produce unequal forms of STEM participation. Latent class anal…
Using Bourdieu in practice? Urban secondary teachers’ and students’ experiences of a Bourdieusian-inspired pedagogical approach
This article discusses an attempt at a Bourdieusian-inspired form of praxis, developed and implemented in collaboration with nine London teachers, aimed at developing a socially just approach to engaging students with science. Data are discussed from nine months of classroom observations of nine secondary science classes from six inner London schools (approximately 200 students, aged 11–15), interviews and workshop data from the nine teachers and…
Psychotropic medication oversight for youth in foster care: A national perspective on state child welfare policy and practice guidelines
The legal and practical implications of recent attacks on 128-bit cryptographic hash function
This paper discusses the legal and practical implications of attacks, presented at Crypto ’2004, against various 128–bit hash functions and in particular MD5 due to its wide usage. These attacks are significant because a number of important applications depend on MD5. It is argued in this paper that the MD–x style of hash function designs for various applications can be a single point of failure. New hash function design schemes with some strict …
Genetic testing in a drama and discussion workshop: Exploring knowledge construction
In this pilot project, drama was used to situate genetic testing in a social and cultural context – that of the family. The drama was used to stimulate discussion about social issues relating to genetic testing, such as who has the right to know the results of the test and whether participants would want to know their ‘genetic future’. A 10-minute, open-ended drama was developed as stimulus for a further 40-minute discussion-based workshop that f…
Mediating Science and Society in the EU and UK: From Information-Transmission to Deliberative Democracy
Dialogue and Synthesis: Developing Consensus in Visitor Research Methodology
This brief synthesis presents the main points of agreement between Dawson and Jensen's article, “‘Towards a ‘Contextual Turn’ in Visitor Studies: Evaluating Visitor Segmentation and Identity-Related Motivations” (this issue) and Falk's reply, “Contextualizing Falk's Identity-Related Visitor Motivation Model” (this issue), and it highlights important considerations for future research
Towards A Contextual Turn in Visitor Studies: Evaluating Visitor Segmentation and Identity-Related Motivations
This article assesses the use of audience segmentation in visitor studies by analyzing its application in the identity model of visitors proposed by J. Falk (2009) and J. Falk et al. (2007). As a leading example of visitor segmentation, the authors examine this model's application in a specific case at U.S. zoos to elaborate some of its limitations. Conventional short-term, episodic approaches to visitor research should be challenged and suppleme…
Psychotropic medication oversight for youth in foster care: A national perspective on state child welfare policy and practice guidelines
Oh Yes, Robots! People Like Robots; the Robot People Should do Something: Perspectives and Prospects in Public Engagement With Robotics
Governmental and institutional policy making in a number of countries has embedded public engagement strategies as a primary channel to connect citizens with scientific and technological innovation. Robotics is emerging as a key site for such new technological activity and its applications are likely to be increasingly notable in our lives in coming years. Robotics researchers are investing considerable time and effort in “engaging” publics. Conc…
“Not Designed for Us”: How Science Museums and Science Centers Socially Exclude Low‐Income, Minority Ethnic Groups
This paper explores how people from low‐income, minority ethnic groups perceive and experience exclusion from informal science education (ISE) institutions, such as museums and science centers. Drawing on qualitative data from four focus groups, 32 interviews, four accompanied visits to ISE institutions, and field notes, this paper presents an analysis of exclusion from science learning opportunities during visits alongside participants’ attitude…
Equity in informal science education: Developing an access and equity framework for science museums and science centres
Informal science education (ISE) is a popular pursuit, with millions of people visiting science museums, science centres, zoos, botanic gardens, aquaria, science festivals and more around the world. Questions remain, however, about how accessible and inclusive ISE practices are. This article reviews research on participation in ISE through the lens of social inclusion and equity and suggests that, as a field of practice, ISE is exclusive, with re…
“Science capital”: A conceptual, methodological, and empirical argument for extending bourdieusian notions of capital beyond the arts
This paper sets out an argument and approach for moving beyond a primarily arts‐based conceptualization of cultural capital, as has been the tendency within Bourdieusian approaches to date. We advance the notion that, in contemporary society, scientific forms of cultural and social capital can command a high symbolic and exchange value. Our previous research [Archer et al. (2014) Journal of Research in Science Teaching 51, 1–30] proposed the conc…
Using Bourdieu in practice? Urban secondary teachers’ and students’ experiences of a Bourdieusian-inspired pedagogical approach
This article discusses an attempt at a Bourdieusian-inspired form of praxis, developed and implemented in collaboration with nine London teachers, aimed at developing a socially just approach to engaging students with science. Data are discussed from nine months of classroom observations of nine secondary science classes from six inner London schools (approximately 200 students, aged 11–15), interviews and workshop data from the nine teachers and…
Reimagining publics and (non) participation: Exploring exclusion from science communication through the experiences of low-income, minority ethnic groups
This article explores science communication from the perspective of those most at risk of exclusion, drawing on ethnographic fieldwork. I conducted five focus groups and 32 interviews with participants from low-income, minority ethnic backgrounds. Using theories of social reproduction and social justice, I argue that participation in science communication is marked by structural inequalities (particularly ethnicity and class) in two ways. First, …
Equity, Exclusion and Everyday Science Learning: The Experiences of Minoritised Groups
Equity, Exclusion and Everyday Science Learning explores how some people are excluded from science education and communication. Taking the role of science in society as a starting point, it critically examines the concept of equity in science learning and develops a framework to support inclusive change. This book presents a theoretically informed, empirically detailed analysis of how people from minoritised groups in the UK experience science an…
Selfies at the science museum: Exploring girls’ identity performances in a science learning space
Science education has a seemingly intractable gender problem and remains largely the reserve of White, middle-class men and boys, especially in the physical sciences. In this paper, taking an intersectional approach to Butler’s idea of identity as performance, we explore the affordances and limitations of a specific science learning space (a science museum) for girls. We discuss four types of performance, one based on ‘good’ behaviour, one combin…
Changing the field: A Bourdieusian analysis of educational practices that support equitable outcomes among minoritized youth on two informal science learning programs
Supporting more equitable participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remains a key, persistent educational challenge. This paper employs a sociological Bourdieusian lens to explore how equitable youth outcomes might be supported through informal science learning (ISL). Drawing on multimodal, ethnographic data from four case study youth aged 11–14 from two ISL programs, we identify four areas of practice that were en…
Interested but not being served: Mapping young people’s participation in informal STEM education through an equity lens
It is commonly assumed that the reason many young people do not participate in informal STEM education (ISE) is because they lack interest in STEM. This paper draws on survey (n = 1,624) and qualitative data (n = 36) with young people aged 11–14 to examine the ways in which science dispositions, demographic characteristics, ‘consumption’ of cultural practices and exclusion interact to produce unequal forms of STEM participation. Latent class anal…
Inclusion for STEM, the institution, or minoritized youth? Exploring how educators navigate the discourses that shape social justice in informal science learning practices
Understanding equitable practice is crucial for science education since science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and STEM learning practices remain significantly marked by structural inequalities. In this paper, building on theories of discourse and situated meaning developed by Foucault, Gee, and Sedgewick, we explore how educators navigated discourses about social justice in informal science learning (ISL) across four UK …
Social inequality determines science museums attendance in Latin America: A Quantitative Analysis of Data From Seven Countries
This paper examines cultural engagement with science in Latin America based on probabilistic models derived from quantitative data gathered on public perceptions of science. We explore the influence of social stratification and contextual factors -gender, age, education, socioeconomic level, and interest in science, among others- on visiting science museums in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, and Paraguay. The data suggest t…
Science communication, politics and power: Social justice perspectives
Concerns about social justice are long standing across many fields. In this article, we outline key social justice concepts in relation to science communication, before examining the politics of science and science communication in more detail. We argue more focus is needed on how certain forms of politics and power travel through science and science communication in ways that have created, reinforced and/or ameliorated structural inequities. We …
We Have to, Like, Make Science”: Cultural Producers and the Production of Scientific Knowledge in UK Mass Media
Science saturates popular culture, but how might we understand the roles played by popular culture in producing scientific knowledge? Based on fieldwork and interviews with cultural producers in the United Kingdom, this article examines how cultural producers co-produce scientific knowledge and media products. This article engages with the slippery boundaries between media and scientific practices, examining the nuances, parameters and dynamics t…
Smallpox baby revisited: Exploring an authorised science heritage discourse in science museum exhibitions
Based on research in two exhibitions in a science museum in the UK, this paper explores how science and society relationships are constructed through the display of one specific object, a WHO leaflet about smallpox. I trace the display of this leaflet through two exhibitions about medicine, 40 years apart. Drawing on the concept of the authorised heritage discourse and work in Black studies and Science and Technology Studies, I analyse the displa…
Sociology (16 works) · Political science (12 works) · Psychology (9 works) · Pedagogy (8 works) · Epistemology (7 works) · Public relations (7 works) · Science education (7 works) · Climate Change Communication and Perception (6 works) · Computer Science (6 works) · Social science (6 works)