Knowledge production is a key element of the dynamics of contemporary societies that until now have been based on uneven levels of scientific and professional knowledge. The aim of this work is to understand, from a sociological point of view, the various aspects of the relationship between creativity, communication and knowledge production, starting from the following questions: What is the role of communication in the elaboration of discoveries or intellectual advances? What is the role of individuals and networks in these advances? And finally, what are the characteristics, especially the communicational ones, of the more creative institutions? The text is based on the works of Philippe Breton (communication and the status of knowledge), Randal Collins (network creativity), Rogers Hollingsworth (cognitive complexity, institutional diversity, quality of the research environment in terms of scientific exchange and discussion). These questions are not restricted to a strictly academic debate. They are also directly related to the practices of research environments, professors-researchers and students of master’s and doctor’s degree.
creativity; communication; knowledge production; discovery; networks; cognitive complexity; quality of the research environment