Experts and Anecdotes
The Role of ‘‘Anecdotal Evidence’’ in Public Scientific Controversies
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5338347 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alfred Moore (0000-0002-7252-5039, University College Cork, corresponding author), Jack Stilgoe (0000-0002-5787-2198, University College London) |
| Year | 2009 |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 654-677 |
| Publication date | 2009-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Science Technology & Human Values (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0162-2439 • E-ISSN: 1552-8251 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/0162243908329382 |
| OpenAlex | W1963681043 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 36 |
| References cited | 36 |
Anecdotal evidence'' has become a central point of contention in two recent controversies over science and technology (We follow Nelkin (1992, 10) in referring to our cases as controversies over science and technology.) in the United Kingdom and a contact point between individuals, expert institutions, and policy decisions. We argue that the term is central to the management of the boundary between experts and nonexperts, with consequences for ideas of public engagement and participation. This article reports on two separate pieces of qualitative social research into recent UK public risk controversies with the aim of unfolding the processes by which anecdotal evidence comes to be defined. We do not define anecdotal evidence as an epistemic category that exists prior to the public controversies themselves; rather, we aim to show how the term is constructed and contested by expert and nonexpert actors. We find that anecdotal evidence comes to be accepted (albeit in different ways) by the main actors as an epistemic category, yet that it is multidimensional, open to interpretation as subjective reports, as an indicator of expert ignorance, as a source of novel hypotheses and as a set of political claims for recognition and inclusion. We conclude that the flexibility of anecdotal evidence at the boundary between science and its publics can offer opportunities for participation and engagement, as well as exclusion and alienation
Categorization · Epistemology · Ignorance · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Public engagement · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Law · Risk Perception and Management · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
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| Unique citing works | 36 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2,4 |
| Citation span | 2011 - 2025 (15) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 33 |