Funding for research on trust in experts involved in social and political decision-making

EU Horizon 2020 grant for Jos茅 van Dijck

Prof. dr. Jose van Dijck. Foto: Ed van Rijswijk
Prof. Jose van Dijck. Photo: Ed van Rijswijk

Prof Jos茅 van Dijck (distinguished university professor media and digital society) has been awarded a grant by the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Committee to research the role and impact of digital media and new communication technologies in public confidence in experts. The research is part of a larger European research project called Policy, Expertise, and Trust in Action (PEriTiA).

In large public debates such as climate change and vaccination, we are increasingly seeing doubts about the authority of experts and scientists. To what extent do social media and internet sources play a role in sowing doubts about the reliability of scientific sources and messages? And what does that mean for society's trust in (mainstream) media and (scientific) expertise?

Trust in expert opinion

Due to commence in February 2020, PEriTiA will bring together philosophers, social and natural scientists, policy experts, ethicists, psychologists, media specialists and civil society organisations to investigate trust in and the trustworthiness of policy related expert opinion.

Good governance

PERiTiA will carry out multidisciplinary and integrative research to understand the factors that contribute to the enhancement or breakdown of trust in experts involved in social and political decision-making. Since trust in experts and expert advisory bodies is a fundamental condition of good governance, the project will contribute to improving the measures of trust for sustainable and legitimate governance.

Partners

The international consortium comprises 11 institutions:

  • 木瓜福利影视 College Dublin (Ireland), project leader

  • All European Academies, ALLEA (Netherlands/Germany)

  • 木瓜福利影视 of Oslo (Norway)

  • Institut Jean Nicod, Ecole normale sup茅rieure (ENS) and the Ecole des hautes 茅tudes en sciences sociales (EHESS) (France)

  • Vita-Salute San Raffaele 木瓜福利影视 (Italy)

  • American 木瓜福利影视 of Armenia鈥檚 Acopian Center for the Environment (Armenia)

  • Sense about Science (UK)

  • King鈥檚 College London (UK)

  • Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland)

  • Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 (Netherlands)

  • Strane Innovation (France)