Social Construction and Acting "Gendered" Networks in Science Communication

Abstract

This article presents a research focus on key theories concerning the concept of social construction within the context of Science and Technology, with a particular focus on the relationship between gender and science. Our aim, through qualitative research that combines a literature review with the analysis of Science and Technology Museum reports, non-participant observation of educational programmes and interviews with professionals and parents, is to explore whether Science and Technology; as socially constructed domains; contribute to the formation and/or reinforcement of concepts that are shaped more by social than by cognitive or technical factors, and which inherently carry gender stereotypes. It was therefore observed that Science and Technology are socially constructed concepts, whose meanings are shaped by the networks and contexts within which they are framed. These networks; whether originating within the scientific community or involved in the communication of scientific concepts; shape both the production and the consumption of scientific knowledge. They interact with, interpret, and integrate scientific data into society through the lens of the social stereotypes they embody, both as individual units and as interconnected systems. In doing so, they contribute to the maintenance of a gendered culture that normalises the absence of the female gender from scientific discourse and information.