The Making of (Un)certainty in Knowledge Production: Rhetoric at Play in a Heritability Controversy

Authors

Angelica Camacho, University of Ottawa
Dominique Robert, University of Ottawa

Abstract

"(Un)certainty is not an inherent quality of a scientific assertion. It is rather the product of negotiations and collective work performed amidst noisy or quiet scientific debates. Using a controversy on heritability of crime-related behaviors as a case study, this paper proposes an analysis of the rhetoric at play to produce (un)certainty in publications presenting competing arguments. The controversy under study is at the heart of the legitimization of biosocial criminology, a contested field of study. The research shows that on the discursive front, three main strategies are used to modalize the (un)certainty of scientific claims over that of competing ones: denial, dismissal, and displacement. On the emotion front, surprise and ridicule are used and elicited to transform scientific claims into staple pieces of knowledge. Acknowledging the strengths and uniqueness of science as a mode of knowledge, this study underlines the importance for users of science to get comfortable not only with the doubts and conflicts at its core but also with the discursive strategies that are integral to science production and communication, as well as to the legitimization of a field of study."

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Camacho, Angelica and Robert, Dominique (2024) "The Making of (Un)certainty in Knowledge Production: Rhetoric at Play in a Heritability Controversy," Qualitative Criminology (QC): Vol. 13: No. 3, Article 5.
Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/qc/vol13/iss3/5