Jule Ksinsik and Dr Caroline Schlaufer
KPM Center for Public Management
A recent study funded by the MCID has been published in Policy Studies Journal and highlights the role of scientists during times of crisis.
How do scientists providing expert advice navigate the political dynamics of policymaking? This study, funded by the MCID, explores how Swiss scientists communicated during the COVID-19 pandemic and how their media narratives reflected or resisted the power struggles inherent in policy processes.
Through a quantitative analysis of scientists’ media quotes and a qualitative examination of process narratives and in-depth interviews, the study assessed the extent to which scientists’ communication went beyond policy substance to include reflections on policymaking itself.
Key findings:
- Most scientists focused their public communication on policy substance.
- A smaller group engaged with “process narratives” which refer to political processes and to how policy decisions are made, by whom and the related power dynamics.
- Scientists with a health-related research background used significantly fewer process narratives than those from other fields.
- Advisory body members also used fewer process narratives, likely due to their insider access to decision-makers and reliance on non-public channels of influence.
- No significant link was found between attention to science by the government and the use of process narratives through scientists.
Interviews revealed why scientists engaged with the media: to inform the public, influence decisions, or contest political power plays. The pandemic created a unique moment where scientific experts gained unprecedented access to policymakers — though this influence shifted over time as other actors reclaimed authority.
Interestingly, the establishment of advisory bodies did not silence scientists; instead, many task force members continued to speak independently to the media. The study highlights the delicate balance between trust and criticism in science-policy relations: public disagreement can erode trust, yet transparency remains essential for democratic policymaking.
Conclusion:
The study sheds light on scientists as political actors in times of crisis, revealing how their narratives, strategies, and media engagement shape evidence-based policymaking. It also underscores the importance that scientists reflect on how and through which channels they wish to contribute, not only in crises but also in everyday policy contexts.
Ksinsik J, Schlaufer C. Scientists in power plays: How substantive were scientists' narratives during the COVID‐19 pandemic?. Policy Studies Journal. 2025 Mar 21.
