DIALOGUE

Why is relevant?

Meaningful progress on equity, diversity, and inclusion in citizen science cannot be made from the outside looking in. The barriers that prevent people from participating are often invisible to project organisers, and assumptions made at the design stage about the core activities of the initiative might unintentionally exclude particular groups of people. Understanding and learning what these barriers might be is a core part of creating the conditions for diverse inclusion, yet this requires deliberate effort: a critical hurdle in broadening participation is often an absence of alignment between community priorities and research objectives.

Dialogue, storytelling, and collective action are among the most powerful methods for surfacing the perspectives of underrepresented groups. They can also help to establish trust and drive meaningful social change. Establishing dialogue and co-creative practices early on between the public, local governments, academia, and other stakeholders has the potential to enhance active and inclusive participation, not just by making projects more accessible, but by reshaping them around the needs and concerns of those most at risk of being left behind.