Politicised COVID-19 responses undermine trust in science [University World News, 6 January 2021]

Title:

Politicised COVID-19 responses undermine trust in science

 

Author:

Mark Paterson

Published:

University World News, 6 January 2021

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20210106135416792

From the article:

Concerns have mounted across Africa, Europe and Asia that scientists advising on the spread of COVID-19 are being compromised by close relationships with their governments as second waves of the outbreak peak around the world – and death tolls keep rising as a result.  

 

The fears largely stem from the politicisation of official responses to the virus, which has been exacerbated by a lack of transparency around how the scientific advice being received by governments is, or is not, shaping the measures adopted.

University of The Free State, South Africa - Are universities regaining public trust? [by Prof Francis Peterson]

Title:
Are universities regaining public trust? 

Author:
Prof Francis Peterson, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State

Published:
University of The Free State, 12 May 2020
https://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/news-archive-item-more/campus-news/2020/may/are-universities-regaining-public-trust

From the article:
"Over the past few years, the purpose of universities has been challenged in relation to their role in society, their advocacy for speaking truth to power, their continuous strive to be great universities without being elitist, and their ability to function in an age of populism. The Trump administration and, more recently, Brexit have demonstrated that there is a decline in the respect for evidence and advice from subject-specific experts.  It seems (as in the case of the Trump administration) as if empirical reality does not matter, nor does empirical reasoning form the basis of public policy – a political place that is becoming increasingly anti-intellectual.  Emotion and personal belief have been shown to carry more weight than objective facts and evidence in terms of influencing public opinion.  Fake news and ‘the alternative truth’ have also challenged the fundamental principles of a university – academic freedom and the generation of new knowledge in the pursuit of truth."