[notpeter]

> Either you are a scientist or you aren't. If you do science you are a scientist. Point. No need to add any other adjective. Science should not act like a club with first class and second class members.

I hear you, but I'm curious why "citizen" sounds diminutive to your ear. Alternatives I've heard people use are "amatuer", "non-professional" or "backyard" scientist which all have a negative connotation to me. Honestly, I think using "citizen scientist" is to differentiate themselves from non-scientists who claim to be performing science:

1. Professional Scientists (professionals educated in a particular field of science) 2. Citizen Scientists (people attempting to do science, who recognize they are not professionals) 3. Self-described "scientists" (people ignore scientific method and reject science conflicting with their beliefs: industry lobbyists, homeopaths, flat-earthers, etc)

By making space for second-class members it means you can more easily have a club of people trying to do science (#1 and #2) and exclude #3 who seek to hijack science for their own personal purposes.

[pvaldes]

Sounds right "citizen politician", "citizen journalist", "citizen dishwasher" or "citizen greengrocer"?. The opposite term to citizen is foreigner/immigrant. Should we start describing scientist in terms of foreigner and non-foreigner scientists? Related to where? The city that holds the headquarters of the scientific journal?

Lets call things by their name. Citizen scientists is just another euphemism for precariat.