A blog by the Global Governance Centre, Graduate Institute, Geneva
Luis Aue discusses the possibility of a more pragmatic critique of expertise. When we think in a comparative manner, he argues, ‘we start to understand that there are different ways in which politics and expertise can interact’.
By Sapna Reheem Shaila – International experts must rely on diverse strategies to legitimise their expert knowledge and its application in particular settings. I make a case as to why we need to pay more attention to such legitimation strategies undertaken by experts in local contexts and how and whether these strategies enable the pursuits of global governance and democratic governance.
By Johan Christensen – This post reflects on the two competing narratives about the role of experts in governance raise very different democratic concerns.
By Annabelle Littoz-Monnet – Epidemiological models have played a decisive role from the outset in determining the public policy response to Covid-19, especially in the imposition of quarantines and lockdowns. This emphasis on epidemiology, however, may have resulted in the silencing of alternative voices – from philosophers and anthropologists to general practitioners – and the possibility of alternative solutions for managing the public health emergency.
By Annabelle Littoz-Monnet & Juanita Uribe – The quest to find a Covid-19 treatment has incited a highly publicized debate related to longstanding questions about scientific methods and public health interventions. It calls for greater reflection on the assumptions and limitations of knowledge and its underlying political and social facets.
By Peter M. Haas – In the face of post-truth challenges, how can the political authority of science in world politics be defended?