Seminario — Is Science Universal? Language, Culture, and KnowledgeDocente proponente: Prof.ssa Mariangela Picciuolo — valido per CFU seminari ARCO14 maggio 2026, ore 11.00–13.00 Aula II, Via Zamboni 38, DISCI — Evento in presenza
Convenor: Prof. Mariangela Picciuolo
Speaker: Prof. Nílson Kunioshi (Waseda University, Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Title: Is Science Universal? Language, Culture, and Knowledge
Date and time: Thursday, 14 May 2026, 11:00–13:00
Venue: Aula II, Via Zamboni 38The seminar will be conducted in English
AbstractHow did English become the global language of science — and what does this mean for how knowledge is produced and shared? While English as a lingua franca has enabled communication across the scientific world, it also brings inequalities and embeds specific rhetorical and cultural ways of thinking. Science has not always spoken English: early scientists like Galileo used Latin and vernacular languages, while in Japan scientific traditions developed within different cultural frameworks before strong Western influence. This suggests that science is not entirely culturally neutral. Drawing on examples from university lectures in English and Japanese, this talk explores how scientific communication varies across contexts and invites students to reflect on a key question: is science truly universal, or is it shaped by language and culture?
Bio Nílson Kunioshi is a Brazilian scholar working in Japan at the Faculty of Science and Engineering of Waseda University, where he is affiliated with both the Center for English Language Education and the Department of Materials Science. His work brings together science, language, and culture, exploring how cultural backgrounds shape the way knowledge is taught, communicated, and understood.
