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Presidential address Experts and publishers: writing popular science in early twentieth-century Britain, writing popular history of science now

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 June 2006

PETER J. Bowler
Affiliation:
School of History and Anthropology, Queen's University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland. Email: [email protected].

Abstract

The bulk of this address concerns itself with the extent to which professional scientists were involved in popular science writing in early twentieth-century Britain. Contrary to a widespread assumption, it is argued that a significant proportion of the scientific community engaged in writing the more educational type of popular science. Some high-profile figures acquired enough skill in popular writing to exert considerable influence over the public's perception of science and its significance. The address also shows how publishers actively sought ‘expert’ authors for popular material, but at the same time controlled what was published in accordance with their perception of what would sell. At a more popular level of writing there were many semi-professional authors who, while not active scientists, exploited close contacts with the scientific community. Here there was a strong emphasis on the practical applications of science.

The address concludes by suggesting parallels between popular science writing in this period and the present state of popular writing about the history of science.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2006 British Society for the History of Science

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