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We have long proclaimed times of change and times of crisis: Already in the 1980s, there was an intense debate within the field of sociology about crisis, which regained momentum since early 2000s. A critical observer might think that even the scientific system itself is in a deep crisis. A replication crisis, the practice of fixed-term contracts, and a general crisis of trust pose enormous challenges for individual scientists, entire disciplines, and institutions. In addition, there are so many other crises that dominate discussions and routines of everyday life: the climate crisis, the migration crisis, pandemics; crisis declarations can be found in all areas of society.
Crises everywhere – but what happens if we declare everything as a crisis? In 2014, the Deutschlandfunk stated that the term "crisis" was actually unusable. However, this did not lead to a departure; on the contrary, the last 10 years have been marked by a multitude of further crises. Given this, science can provide a space for reflection and for seeking solutions to problems. However, science can also inquire into the contexts in which crises are made relevant by science itself. Why do we worry so much in times when so much is going better than in the previous century? What different phenomena are actually subsumed under the broad term "crisis"? Sometimes, the nagging thought arises that these crises might simply represent challenges or changes without posing an immediate threat to our livelihoods. Perhaps we have a heightened awareness of the inevitability of change, which will occur sooner or later but is not subject to societal or individual control. That can be daunting. But we should keep aware of the role of science in communicating challenges and problems, thereby creating uncertainty. Who is precaritized in the crises mentioned - and by whom? Does science play a pivotal role in building societal crisis resilience? What potentials for stabilization and security could be explored instead? Research actively shapes perceptions of reality, even though this responsibility might not always be apparent.
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Deutsches Hygiene-Museum Dresden
