(In)authentic sciences and (im)partial publics : (re)constructing the science outreach and public engagement agenda

This chapter describes how focus group interviews were used to investigate scientists expressions of commitment to first (deficit), second (dialogic) and third (contextual) orders of public engagement. The findings suggest that ambitious third order agendas for public engagement were only rarely articulated by these scientists, who were generally keen to contribute in ways they understood best, and to audiences that they particularly valued.