Science in the Eyes of Society: The Evolution of Scientific American’s Coverage and the Importance of Separating Science from Political Advocacy

In his recent article for City Journal, James Meigs discusses the changes in Scientific American’s coverage and their newfound focus on social justice issues. The magazine has been publishing articles with titles like “Modern Mathematics Confronts Its White, Patriarchal Past” and “The Racist Roots of Fighting Obesity,” which while having some connection to scientific topics, also delve into more social justice issues.

Meigs raises concerns about the relevance of these social justice topics to the field of science and questions how scientific publications are addressing them. He provides a critical examination of this approach and emphasizes the need for a balanced perspective and a focus on scientific integrity in journalism and media coverage.

Meigs is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a City Journal contributing editor, cohost of the How Do We Fix It? podcast, and the former editor of Popular Mechanics. His insights shed light on the intersection of science, social justice, and media coverage. Through his work, he highlights the importance of maintaining a clear separation between scientific inquiry and political advocacy in order to ensure that science remains an objective pursuit of knowledge.