Abstract

This contribution discusses the relevance of contemporary practices contesting scientific knowledge, with a focus on the current epistemic instability as a context in which the truth is no longer assured by a single epistemic authority, or institution. It introduces the current theoretical and methodological perspectives adopted by sociologists, and social scientists in general, to investigate how people, public decision-makers and institutionally recognised experts deal with epistemic instability in relation to some of the most salient topics currently fuelling public debate. Then, the papers included in this Special Issue are introduced by also highlighting major issues at stake in understanding the current challenges to technoscientific expertise.