The importance of engaging narratives: investigating similarities and differences between scientific and journalism research

In this lecture Sanne Bloemink will discuss the importance of engaging narratives and storytelling in journalism, exploring differences and similarities between research in journalism and science. What determines if a scientific study or topic is picked up by the media or not? How does a journalist approach scientific studies and decide to incorporate them in a story? How to convey complexity science in journalism? What new and exciting tools do journalists have to do so? How can journalists collaborate more effectively with scientists?

In order to discuss these questions, Bloemink will use her most recent non-fiction book on chronic pain “Pijn - een expeditie naar onbestemd gebied” as an example. "Without appreciating emergent properties, interrelatedness of symptoms and the importance of interdisciplinary research, there is no way I could have truly understood the complexity of pain,” she says. At the same time she will show how (first-person) narrative was crucial for tying together different perspectives on a complex concept like pain and for reaching a wider audience. 

In the second part of the meeting she will update the audience on stories she plans to work on during her year at IAS. She will invite the audience to respond to these plans and then engage them in a discussion about ideas on how to reach a better understanding of complexity science by a wider public and the possible role of journalism in this respect.

Programme