"The citizen science can be defined as the participative and combined effort of research, analysis and public education pursuing the main goal, as a primary principle, of collective well-being for the present and future generation of human-beings on the planet, and of the biosphere [1]”.
According to the Citizen sciences foundation, this concept is embedded in the “current movement of citizens reclaiming a democratic and citizen science, so as to use it in favor of the common well-being”. Three mains focuses are at the chore of the definition:
1. The growth of civil society’s research capacities and expertise, of the associative strengths, that of consumers, os trade-unions, and of citizens (creation of a scientific third sector)
2. The stimulation of the freedom of speech and debate in the scientific world
3. The promotion of democratic scientific and technical choice-making [2]”.
“The scientific citizen, through his or her specific capacities of investigation and analysis, must take part in the protection of society against development methods which focus on the State’s or corporation interests, above the collective benefice. Therefore the scientific citizen is the perfect "counter-expert" [3]”.
Citizen sciences