The Mediatization of Scientific Knowledge in Europe and the Rise of the Science Influencer

Abstract

This paper examines the mediatization of scientific knowledge in Europe and the emergence of the science influencer as a new cultural figure in the digital public sphere. Drawing on mediatization theory and the sociology of scientific knowledge, it argues that scientific authority is undergoing a structural reconfiguration shaped by platform logics, algorithmic visibility, and affective modes of engagement. The analysis traces how the locus of epistemic legitimacy has shifted from institutional control to networked credibility, where scientists, audiences, and algorithms co-produce authority through interaction and performance. Through a comparative exploration of European cases, the study demonstrates that science communication has evolved from a model of institutional dissemination to one of participatory mediation. The science influencer emerges as a hybrid actor who blends professional expertise with personal authenticity, reframing scientific knowledge as relational, emotional, and performative. The findings suggest that this transformation does not signify a decline of scientific authority but its adaptation to the communicative conditions of the platform era. Trust in science increasingly depends on transparency, affective connection, and continuous dialogue rather than hierarchical distance. The paper concludes that European institutions must cultivate dialogic credibility by collaborating with independent communicators and fostering digital literacy. The rise of the science influencer thus reflects a broader cultural shift toward communicative participation in the production and validation of knowledge.