The Case for Diversity and Inclusion in Research Information | Katina Magazine

"Today, science is largely conducted in alignment with the interests of rich countries and people. Either directly or indirectly, mainstream scientific knowledge feeds into forms of innovation, like some AI algorithms or engineering for mining, that actively contribute to social and economic inequalities.

This is in contrast with the consensus that science should be a public good and that all humankind should enjoy it benefits. Already in 1948, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights established that “everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.” This view has been reaffirmed and newly articulated in international commitments like the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science.

In this piece, I argue that for science to be a public good, there is a need for diversity and inclusion in science—and specifically in research information, i.e., information about what type of knowledge is produced, where, and by whom. In practice, this means: i) fostering pluralism in the research topics investigated; ii) supporting the participation of broader communities in research; and iii) making this diversity visible in research information systems...."