Science in Europe Between War and Peace

Futuristic blue hologram with robotic information on screen by Thamrongpat Theerathammakorn from Noun Project (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

In this article, I examine the complex relationship between science and society in contemporary Europe, where public trust in science has reached unprecedented levels even as misinformation and political polarisation increasingly challenge evidence-based policymaking.

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and AI, I explore the tension between expert knowledge and democratic decision-making.

I then analyse the recent European policy shifts, particularly concerning Horizon Europe, the world’s largest civilian research program, which faces pressure to move away from its founding principles of open international collaboration toward a more closed, defence-oriented approach driven by geopolitical tensions.

Finally, I argue that while increased investment in research is welcome, Europe risks undermining science’s mission by prioritising competitiveness and strategic autonomy over international cooperation and the integral development of individuals and communities.

This manuscript was first published in Pupilla and subsequently in Nuova Umanità magazine (in Italian)