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PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Commun.
Sec. Science and Environmental Communication
Volume 9 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fcomm.2024.1348078
This article is part of the Research Topic Insights in Science and Environmental Communication: 2023-2024 View all 10 articles

Communicating science addressing contentious environmental issues: Utilizing Luhmann's social systems theory

Provisionally accepted
Anke van Kempen Anke van Kempen 1Andrea M. Feldpausch-Parker Andrea M. Feldpausch-Parker 2*
  • 1 Munich University of Applied Sciences, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
  • 2 SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    For complex and socially contentious environmental issues such as climate change and disease prevention, science communication has proven difficult. As many science communication scholars have determined, education is not the only factor impacting the public's willingness to act upon or even accept scientific information. In this paper, we propose using Niklas Luhmann's theory of social systems as a framework for research in science and environmental communication. We argue that by focusing on the functions of relevant social systems, the occurrence of communication conflicts may be explained, and new approaches to overcome communication obstacles can be developed. In this paper, we provide examples of the theory's utility by looking at pertinent studies regarding relevant systems integral to addressing climate change and sustainability issues, as well as propose new subjects for exploration.

    Keywords: Niklas Luhmann, Systems Theory, Science Communication, Environmental Communication, Empirical Research

    Received: 01 Dec 2023; Accepted: 02 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 van Kempen and Feldpausch-Parker. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Andrea M. Feldpausch-Parker, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.