Citizen sensing as a catalyst for participatory risk governance

The book “Citizen Sensing for Risk Response” by Anna Berti Suman analyzes how citizen-driven data collection can contribute to managing societal risks. The focus is on the concept of citizen sensing: citizens independently collect environmental or health data to address information gaps and make risk perceptions visible.

1 min read · 16. February 2026

The author situates these practices in the context of risk governance and shows that citizen sensing has both epistemic and normative dimensions. In addition to questions of data quality and validation, aspects such as legitimacy, trust, and institutional connectivity are central. Citizen science initiatives can complement established knowledge systems—at the same time, they challenge scientific institutions to take participatory processes seriously in structural terms.

The examination of citizen sensing broadens the understanding of citizen science and science communication by focusing on the active participation of the public in data-intensive societal challenges. For researchers, this means consciously designing participatory processes, reflecting on communication skills, and reconciling scientific and societal objectives.

Citizen sensing thus exemplifies how participatory research can not only generate data but also transform governance processes.

Further information

Citizen Science Science communication

Back to overview