Democratization of Knowledge

The democratisation of knowledge was perhaps the most important aim of the Austrian scholar Otto Neurath (1882-1945). In his view, the borders between science and citizen, expert and ordinary men, should be transcended. His concept consisted of two elements: literary language and pictorial language. On one hand, he was active in workers` or adult education and wrote a considerable number of popular articles and books. On the other, he created the Viennese method of visualisation and pictorial statistics (or ISOTYPE1 ), which demonstrated social, economic and political knowledge in easily understandable ways. Otto Neurath was influenced by different scientific cultures. The ones that were probably most important-the Austrian, the German and the British scientific culture-will be studied and characterised with the aim of demonstrating their relation to Neurath`s work. The focus is on the relevance the concept of popularisation had within them (and what ways of popularisation existed). Based upon this, I will analyse how these respective scientific cultures interrelated and corresponded with Neurath`s activities. I will demonstrate what kinds of accordance and what kinds of contradiction existed, and how the encounter between Neurath and the scientific cultures influenced and transformed his project for the democratisation of knowledge. The main sources are Neurath`s publications (books, articles, booklets etc.) and the writings of then-contemporary scholars who evaluated his project (e.g. in journal articles, books and reviews), as well as Neurath`s correspondence and archival materials that makes it possible to reconstruct his activities in the respective countries. Finally, Neurath`s concept of democratisation, the way he dealt with the difficult relation between experts and scientists on one hand and citizens and ordinary people on the other will be discussed within the framework of certain theories of democracy such as the deliberative and participatory approaches. Although the approach of this project is a comparative one within the sociology and the history of sciences and political theory as well, it will also provide biographical findings on Otto Neurath. The question of how the dialogue between science and the public can be organised in light of advanced differentiation and specialisation has perhaps gained importance since Otto Neurath`s day. Whether his approach could be helpful in the current debate will be discussed at the end of the research process. 1 ISOTYPE = International System Of Typographic Pictorial Education.

The democratisation of knowledge was perhaps the most important aim of the Austrian scholar Otto Neurath (1882-1945). In his view, the borders between science and citizen, expert and ordinary men, should be transcended. His concept consisted of two elements: literary language and pictorial language. On one hand, he was active in workers` or adult education and wrote a considerable number of popular articles and books. On the other, he created the Viennese method of visualisation and pictorial statistics (or ISOTYPE1 ), which demonstrated social, economic and political knowledge in easily understandable ways. Otto Neurath was influenced by different scientific cultures. The ones that were probably most important-the Austrian, the German and the British scientific culture-will be studied and characterised with the aim of demonstrating their relation to Neurath`s work. The focus is on the relevance the concept of popularisation had within them (and what ways of popularisation existed). Based upon this, I will analyse how these respective scientific cultures interrelated and corresponded with Neurath`s activities. I will demonstrate what kinds of accordance and what kinds of contradiction existed, and how the encounter between Neurath and the scientific cultures influenced and transformed his project for the democratisation of knowledge. The main sources are Neurath`s publications (books, articles, booklets etc.) and the writings of then-contemporary scholars who evaluated his project (e.g. in journal articles, books and reviews), as well as Neurath`s correspondence and archival materials that makes it possible to reconstruct his activities in the respective countries. Finally, Neurath`s concept of democratisation, the way he dealt with the difficult relation between experts and scientists on one hand and citizens and ordinary people on the other will be discussed within the framework of certain theories of democracy such as the deliberative and participatory approaches. Although the approach of this project is a comparative one within the sociology and the history of sciences and political theory as well, it will also provide biographical findings on Otto Neurath. The question of how the dialogue between science and the public can be organised in light of advanced differentiation and specialisation has perhaps gained importance since Otto Neurath`s day. Whether his approach could be helpful in the current debate will be discussed at the end of the research process. 1 ISOTYPE = International System Of Typographic Pictorial Education.