Can Science and Journalism Be Mutually Reflexive? A Global South Perspective

Abstract

This theoretical essay examines the relationship between scientific research and journalistic practice in an era of epistemic fragmentation, misinformation, and global health crises. Drawing upon post-normal science communication (PNSC) frameworks, science and technology studies (STS), and journalism studies, it analyzes the epistemic frictions, temporal misalignments, and structural asymmetries that shape how scientific knowledge is publicly communicated, with particular attention to the Global South context. The essay identifies three interconnected problem domains: epistemic and structural divergences between science and journalism, temporal and normative misalignments exacerbated by digital platforms and social media, and the reconfiguration of verification norms under algorithmic mediation and the rise of scientist-influencers. In response, it proposes a conceptual framework of two-way reflexivity, defined as a reciprocal process through which scientists and journalists interrogate their own epistemic assumptions, institutional constraints, and communicative responsibilities toward each other and toward the public. The framework is operationalized across four analytical dimensions: epistemic, institutional, communicative, and structural. Illustrated through cases from Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, the essay argues that reflexive collaboration, rather than one-way knowledge transfer, is essential for reflexive science communication under post-normal conditions.