Meeting at the ESOF Congress, Euroscience Open Forum, organized by Angela Liberatore, Frank Kuhn, Inge Ruigrok, Toulouse, France, July 10, 2018.
Synopsis:
Research is sometimes a risky task, not only in relation to the risk posed by the failure of an experiment or scientific theory, but also in terms of the safety of researchers and the safety of research participants. Some projects involve the need for field work in conflict areas or countries where freedom of research is not saved. Research protocols are being developed by research institutions to deal with these cases; this is necessary but insufficient to protect researchers and participants.
Scientific diplomacy is an important element in helping to ensure research conditions, for example, facilitating access to sites (access to archaeological sites, access for field work in / with displaced persons or minorities), protecting scientists in cases of tension (with initiatives aimed at protecting refugee scientists and other academics at risk) and facilitating cooperation between “foreign” and “local” researchers.
Protecting scientists and scientific freedom is an increasingly important element of “science diplomacy”, one of three elements of “science diplomacy” as defined by the Royal Society / AAAS Report on “New Frontiers in scientific diplomacy », the others being“ Science for diplomacy ”and“ Science in diplomacy ”. Diplomacy for science is seen primarily in terms of fostering science and technology agreements and other forms of scientific cooperation between different countries. Less researched is the role of diplomacy in saving investigators.
