Expertise facing new forms of power and influence | Workshop

3 days of understanding and debating expertise

The worlds of expertise seem more threatened than ever in contemporary democracies. In times of “crack-up capitalism” (Slobodian, 2024), and especially since the election of Donald J. Trump in the United States, expertise is now under open and systematic attack, not least by national governments themselves.
Funding cuts, censorship of certain research, questioning of scientific consensus and marginalization of academic institutions: what once seemed established and taken for granted is now being vigorously challenged by a wide range of actors, both in power and in opposition. Relatedly, recent technological developments, such as AI, are also profoundly reconfiguring the way expertise is practiced.

The 3-day cycle will kick off with a public roundtable on June 4, open to all with free registration. It will bring together a range of specialized scholars to discuss these contemporary issues in an accessible and open format. The round table will be followed by a workshop on June 5 and 6.

Organised by the ICP's Faculty of Social Sciences, Economics and Law and co-funded by the ANTICIP project, part of the PEPR ‘Sous-sol bien commun’ program, the event aims to analyze new challenges in light of recent developments, without forgetting the tensions that have long plagued expertise. The aim is to interrogate these new configurations while situating them within the long history of expertise, where multiple trajectories intersect. In an age marked by “expertise influencers”, artificial intelligence and “lay expertise”, it is essential to rethink the place and legitimacy of knowledge in our societies.

Speakers :

• Madeleine Akrich, Research Director, École Mines Paris - PSL
• Janine Barbot, Research Director, Inserm
• Francis Chateauraynaud, Research director, EHESS
• Gil Eyal, Professor of Sociology, Columbia University
• Brice Laurent, Researcher, École Mines Paris - PSL

> Full program coming soon

Practical information:

• June 4 - Public round table
• 4-7 pm - Salle des Actes
• > Free registration 
• June 5 & 6 - Workshop

Event will be held in English.

Contacts :
Jérôme Gaillaguet
Désirée Waibel