Zachowywanie naukowego dziedzictwa dla promocji nauki? Wybrany przypadek z Uniwersytetu im. Louisa Pasteura w Strasburgu

Celem tego artykułu jest analiza różnych ról, jakie nadano zbiorom uniwersyteckim i muzeom na Uniwersytecie im. Louisa Pasteura w Srasburgu przez ostatnie 30 lat. Ta refleksja sytuuje się na rozdrożu czterech wielkich jednoczesnych zjawisk: rozszerzania troski o dziedzictwo, tworzenia naukowej i technicznej kultury wiedzy, wejścia w erę komunikacji i rosnącego pragnienia uniwersytetów, by stać się aktorem w dziedzinie kultury. Wszystkie te zjawiska przyczyniły się w różnym stopniu i zakresie do nadania nowej roli muzeom oraz zbiorom uniwersyteckim – i trwa to nadal. Te zjawiska są też wyrazem dramatycznych zmian z którymi konfrontuje się francuskie szkolnictwo wyższe od końca lat osiemdziesiątych. Wymieńmy choćby takie, jak: nieangażowanie się państwa, wzrastające współzawodnictwo międzynarodowe, pochwała nauk stosowanych jako wartości wiedzy kosztem badań podstawowych, wzrastająca troska opinii publicznej o badania naukowe i ich zastosowanie oraz zmieniająca się pozycja kadry naukowej na arenie politycznej. Kolekcje i muzea uniwersyteckie biorą udział w licznych dyskusjach dotyczących ich przyszłości i tej stojącej przed uczelniami. Jednak nawet poddawanie się zmianom nie jest gwarancją znalezienia stałej roli dla uniwersyteckich zbiorów i muzeów.

Preserving scientific heritage to promote science? A case-study from the University of Strasbourg Louis Pasteur

Though commemoration is a regular process within scientific communities, those that emerged in the 1980s were different1. Not only were they self commemoration but they were also made public; using strong communication tools, gathering media. It was not one institution or one scientific discipline in particular; it was the whole scientific community that was involved in this collective celebration of science. Historians of science have now identified a strong change of regime, a “deep crisis” as Levy-Leblond put it, in regard to science legitimacy within society2. Consequently, it appears important for scientists to strengthen their identity and establish a “dialogue” with society. Commemorative actions were thus linked to strong communication actions in order to legitimate their scientific choices and build their future3. It is also in this particular context that the concept of scientific and technical culture emerged in France. Very often heritage preservation plans were started in order to exhibit this heritage and demonstrate to the layman to whom it was important to talk to. In my paper I will illustrate how commemoration, communication and scientific and technical culture sustained heritage process within scientific institutions since the 1980s. I will discuss the particular example of the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg.

Though commemoration is a regular process within scientific communities, those that emerged in the 1980s were different1. Not only were they self commemoration but they were also made public; using strong communication tools, gathering media. It was not one institution or one scientific discipline in particular; it was the whole scientific community that was involved in this collective celebration of science. Historians of science have now identified a strong change of regime, a “deep crisis” as Levy-Leblond put it, in regard to science legitimacy within society2. Consequently, it appears important for scientists to strengthen their identity and establish a “dialogue” with society. Commemorative actions were thus linked to strong communication actions in order to legitimate their scientific choices and build their future3. It is also in this particular context that the concept of scientific and technical culture emerged in France. Very often heritage preservation plans were started in order to exhibit this heritage and demonstrate to the layman to whom it was important to talk to. In my paper I will illustrate how commemoration, communication and scientific and technical culture sustained heritage process within scientific institutions since the 1980s. I will discuss the particular example of the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg.