Scientific Controversies and Public Debate

Catalog description

EARTH 155N Scientific Controversies and Public Debate is an introduction to critical thinking about the messages consumers get from public relations (PR) on behalf of industry, and from scientists regarding environmental health risks. Because such messages may be contradictory, the course seeks to help students understand the extent to which message communication influences our perception of risk. The course is designed to familiarize students with science topics that, because of message manipulation, are (or historically were) perceived as controversial (e.g., smoking, secondhand smoke, flame retardants, nuclear energy, the ozone hole, global climate change, acid rain, junk science, rBGH milk, biosolids, pesticides, vaccines, and endocrine disrupting chemicals). Students will learn the science and environmental health risks underlying several controversial topics. They will be guided to consider how industry and science messaging has shaped their own perceptions of risk. Then, using tools for effective communication, and avoiding communication pitfalls and deceptive tactics, students will combine accurate science content with compelling storytelling in a professional-quality video to inform the public about a targeted environmental health risk and persuade the public to avoid that risk. EARTH 155N focuses on the intersection between science and communication in the realm of environmental health. The course guides students to closely examine controversial environmental health topics, learn the science to understand public health risks, learn strategies to identify false or misleading arguments, and then think critically about industry and science messaging, including the impact of such messaging on their own lives. EARTH 155N Scientific Controversies and Public Debate is an interdomain course that integrate GN environmental health topics with GH message evaluation. It has no prerequisites, and is designed for students who may be unfamiliar with, or have only introductory knowledge of controversial environmental health topics, the norms of science communication, and public relations techniques.