Diversity in Motion:
New Challenges Across the Sciences

Since the mid-20th century, diversity has become a central theme in philosophy of science. Feminist philosophers of science have argued that a plurality of perspectives in research communities improves objectivity and knowledge production. Similar concerns have shaped debates not only in the broader public but also in sociology of science or cultural studies, where attention to diversity has highlighted how social structures and epistemic practices are related and value laden. In recent years, however, the integration of diversity into scientific practice, method, and reasoning as well as in society has come under attack. This shift is visible not only in philosophy of science but also in the (natural) sciences themselves, with controversies surrounding concepts of biodiversity, ecological conservation or the role of microbial diversity. At the same time, global political debates over gender, race, colonialism and cultural difference show how strongly the meaning and importance of diversity is debated.

 

The aim of this workshop is to analyze these developments and to highlight the philosophical and scientific meaning and role of diversity. We will explore its (i) philosophical, (ii) historical, (iii) epistemic, and (iv) cross-disciplinary dimensions.

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(i) Philosophical and political dimensions
Diversity has been defended as an epistemic resource but also attacked as a threat to scientific standards of neutrality, objectivity and rigor. We aim to examine the philosophical and political stakes of these debates: What role does diversity play in scientific reasoning and in the constitution of scientific communities? What does it mean that the classical notion of scientific objectivity is based on western, androcentric and colonial perspectives? And how do feminist, postcolonial, and decolonial perspectives reframe these discussions?

(ii) Historical dimensions
The history of science reveals shifting roles of diversity, from natural history’s fascination with variation, to the standardization of laboratory practices, to the contemporary emphasis on global collaboration. In this part of the workshop, we will ask: How have past scientific and philosophical traditions conceptualized diversity? How have historical changes in institutions, funding structures, and disciplinary boundaries promoted or hindered diversity in both the matter in science and the practice of science? Which stories of diversity have been marginalized, and how might recovering them challenge current narratives?

(iii) Epistemic dimensions

Diversity raises fundamental epistemological questions: What kinds of diversity matter for reliable knowledge production—diversity of methods, models, theories, or of researchers themselves? How does diversity contribute to creativity, problem-solving, and robustness in science? Conversely, are there cases where too much diversity can hinder consensus or cumulative progress? By examining these tensions, we seek to clarify the epistemic functions and limits of diversity across different scientific contexts such as transdisciplinarity, dissent or epistemic injustice. 

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(iv) Cross-disciplinary dimensions

Finally, the workshop addresses diversity as a theme that cuts across the sciences. From ecological debates about biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, to microbiome research linking microbial diversity to human health, medical trials, scientific practices increasingly rely on and contest the notion of diversity. We ask: How is diversity conceptualized, measured, and valued in these different domains? What can be learned by comparing practices and challenges across fields?

 

This workshop will bring together scholars from philosophy of science, history of science, science and technology studies, and researchers from across the natural and social sciences to examine the multifaceted role of diversity. Our goal is to clarify both the promises and the challenges diversity presents for contemporary science and its broader societal role.

Organization
Ann-Christin Fischer, Sergei Shevchenko, 
Vera Straetmanns, Jan Baedke
Department of Philosophy I
Ruhr University Bochum