The History of Science Popularization. State of the Art, Key Questions, and a Research Agenda

This article offers a state-of-the-art overview of the historiography of science popularisation, examining key works in light of the field’s central questions. First, it analyses how scholars have defined “science popularisation” and “popular science,” alongside alternative terms such as “science communication” and “circulation of knowledge.” Second, it revisits the question of origins. While these are commonly traced to the eighteenth or nineteenth century, the article argues that the spread of vernacular texts reveals an earlier distinction between mere vulgarisation and broader processes of popularising (in Italian, volgarizzamento vs. divulgazione). Third, it surveys the sources privileged by this historiography and highlights still understudied materials that could further enrich the field. Finally, it addresses the Italian context, noting its relative marginality despite its historical significance. Recent scholarship has made substantial and highly significant contributions to expanding the field; however, a comprehensive, long-term account is still lacking.