Public visual images of Greek scientists and science: tracing changes through time

ABSTRACT

In the public field, a popular image dominates about scientists and science, involving an ambiguous and complex combination of stereotypes. In the present study, different dimensions of the public visual images of Greek scientists and science reflected in historical and contemporary photos are explored. Analysis of 971 contemporary and 209 historical photos of scientific researchers indicates that Greek scientists’ public visual images have improved over time in some respects. At the same time, the public image of their profession still preserves traditional stereotypic characteristics that resonate with popular but outdated images of science, widely adopted by the public.

KEYWORDS:

• Image of scientists
• public images
• science
• Greek scientists
• visual images

Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank the Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive/Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece (ELIA/MIET) and the Historical Archive of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the depicted scientists and their institutions for granting permission to use the photos included in the Figures of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Vasilia Christidou http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9706-0584

Vassilia Hatzinikita http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3632-5507