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Models

Seven different models of roles of scientists are offered as starting points for reflections and discussions. They are based on analyses of roles described in the literature and are meant as heuristic, not prescriptive models.

The models 1–6 relate to roles that emerge in the context of transdisciplinary knowledge co-production, where the boundary between science and society is fluid, even allowing for engagement of scientists in transformative action (figure 1A).

Model 1
Model 2
Model 3
Model 4
Model 5
Model 6

Model 7 contains just one conceptualisation of roles of scientists that accounts for different roles in which knowledge is brokered between science and society (figure 1B).

Model 7

Figure 1: Two ways of understanding the relationship between science and other societal fields of action: A) When a transdisciplinary approach is used in research, knowledge is co-produced in the agora and the relationship between science and other societal fields of action is permeable; accordingly, scientists may play a number of different roles and need to be aware of potential power issues. B) When scientists are asked to provide policymakers or other societal actors with information from science, knowledge is produced by scientists and ‘brokered’ by boundary agents or boundary organisations to society; when playing a boundary agent role, scientists need to reflect on possible conflicts of interest.Bild: Figure adapted from Pohl et al. 2010.