The Covid crisis has sparked heated debates everywhere on the importance of science in society, particularly when it comes to its role in political decisions. An international study led by researchers from the University of Zurich and the ETH Zurich has concluded that there is no “crisis of confidence” between the population and the scientific world.
Nearly 72,000 people from 68 countries took part in a representative survey. Generally speaking, a majority of those surveyed trust scientists. They consider them 78% qualified, 57% honest and 56% concerned about the well-being of society. But Switzerland is below average in terms of credit given to science and finishes in 47th place.
Confidence among the Swiss is lower than in “many African and Northern European countries, but still ahead of Russia and certain former Soviet republics,” write the authors of the survey. Another observation: in many countries, including Switzerland, politically conservative or right-wing people trust researchers less.
At the international level, a majority of the population says they are in favor of an active role for science in politics and society. Worldwide, 83% of respondents want researchers to communicate with the general public. Only 23% do not approve of them actively supporting certain political measures. In Switzerland, 55% of respondents believe that researchers should be more involved in political decisions, while 20% disagree with this statement.
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