Rate My Professor Darrin Durant

Darrin Durant is an Associate Professor of Science and Technology Studies in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne. He earned his PhD in philosophy from the University of Toronto, Canada, and his undergraduate degree in Science and Technology Studies from the University of Wollongong, Australia. Before joining the University of Melbourne in early 2014, Durant held positions at York University in Toronto from 2005 to 2013. At Melbourne, he has progressed from Lecturer to his current role as Associate Professor, coordinating key subjects including Science and Society (HPSC30023), Trust, Communication and Expertise (HPSC90012), Science, Controversy and Public Policy (HPSC90013), and Environment and Knowledge (HPSC90010).

Durant's research centers on the dynamics between scientific expertise and democratic processes, exploring how public deliberation and institutional decision-making can integrate lay public perspectives alongside expert knowledge without marginalizing either. His work addresses public acceptance of nuclear waste disposal, the feasibility of nuclear power as an energy source, climate politics intertwined with renewables development, and the roles of disinformation and misinformation in democratic discourse. He distinguishes disinformation as strategic deception from mere misinformation, examining their impacts on social norms and policy. Durant has published extensively, including the co-authored book Experts and the Will of the People: Society, Populism and Science with Harry Collins, Robert Evans, and Martin Weinel (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020), which defends the cultural authority of scientific expertise against claims that science and technology studies undermine it. Other notable works include the chapter "Ignoring Experts" in The Third Wave in Science and Technology Studies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019), "Are Honest Brokers Good for Democracy?" (2022), "Fusion Power: Big Energy Fuses with Big Spin" (Arena, 2022), "The Nuclear White Elephant" (Arena, 2021), and "Post-truth dystopia" (2021). He contributes to public engagement through articles such as "Servant or Partner? The Role of Expertise and Knowledge in Democracy" (2018) and "Who Are You Calling Anti-Science? How Science Serves Social and Political Agendas" (2017), influencing discussions on science policy, energy choices, and democratic challenges.