Values in Science in Nondemocratic Contexts

Values in science are often discussed in relation to democratic ideals. By considering historical accounts of science in the Soviet Union, this chapter highlights three insights that can be gleaned by looking more closely at values and science in nondemocratic settings. First, it problematizes the idea that there is a seamless, unobstructed flow of top-down power in authoritarian settings, which in turn challenges the notion that nondemocratic orders are more efficient than democracies at tackling difficult problems. Second, the chapter examines the nature of ideology in science and argues that it can be viewed as giving a prominent or preferred frame or narrative, which advances recent scholarship on the role of values in framing science. Finally, I argue that there are good reasons to explore different notions of political legitimacy that could help make sense of how value influences can be justified (either normatively or descriptively) in nondemocratic regimes. Readers may be interested in these Handbook chapters as well: Hannah Hilligardt and Torsten Wilholt, “Science and Democracy”; S. Andrew Schroeder, “Scientific Knowledge as a Public Resource.”