Journalism vs. Social Science ? Journalists and Researchers

Abstract

The relation between journalism and social sciences is ambiguous. Used by academics the adjective “journalistic” is rarely a word of pride. Conversely, many journalists consider that it is difficult “to use” academics, especially in the media, as they produce an over-theoretical discourse, and are unable to produce clear answers by yes or no to complex stakes. The result of these cross-mistrusts is, in many countries, a weak or biased access of social sciences researchers and results to the press and media, but for in some élite or niche journals or channels. This panel would welcome papers facing the following questions. • What are the social roots, institutional logics and epistemological explanations of this difficult understanding and cooperation between journalists and social scientists? Is such a situation empirically visible in all countries? • Is it possible to identify practices of journalism borrowing to social sciences (ethnographic observation, use of statistics) to make sense of political stakes and social problems, to produce a deeper and easier understanding of groups, struggles and behaviors ? • Conversely what could researchers learn from or borrow to journalism to make their research more attractive without being less scientific when they try to reach larger audience that the small world of peers? • Is it possible to identify experiences of fruitful cooperation between journalists and academics: in the training of journalists, in direct cooperation in the production of reports and investigations, in the diffusion of research results? Priority would be given to papers based on empirical cases and research, both national and comparative. To suggest a few tracks –among many others possible - questions such as the experiences of “precision journalism”, or the “new” and “new new” journalism in the U.S, the changing role of social sciences in the journalism schools and journalists’ training, the analysis of the selection and speech framing process of researchers invited in TV shows or debates could offer stimulating case-studies.

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