Open and Citizen Science in Light of New European Research Policies

Abstract This article discusses the meaning of open science, and in particular the concept of citizen science, in a broader socio-political and scientific context. The authors highlight the ambivalence of these concepts and the lack of critical reflection on the possible (unwanted) negative implications of the establishment of these ideas. The authors address these issues using an international comparative analysis based primarily on documentation and secondary data analysis. Research approaches in the sense of open science and citizen science can, in many cases, be useful for researchers as well as for cognitively active citizens. They can enable the enrichment of knowledge and the potential for (social) innovation. However, there are also risks and unwanted side effects that diminish the relevance and status of scientific research. It is particularly dangerous to create illusions about the potential of ad hoc citizen science projects and their outstanding, immediate results. The campaign for open science may serve as a cover-up for some of the problems and anomalies in the realm of science. The authors also see danger in the potential erosion of the autonomy of science and diverting attention from some of the more pressing problems in science.