The Public Uses of Scientific Celebrity: Einstein’s Visits to Italy, Japan and Sweden, 1921–1923

Visible scientists are a relevant resource in the context of public communication. As such, they can be appropriated by different social actors and parties, particularly when their visibility extends well beyond science and turns into all-round celebrity. The paper analyses how Einstein was enrolled and appropriated as spokesperson and celebrity in the context of his visits to Italy (1921), Japan (1922) and Sweden (1923) and related media coverage.