Public communication of science has been treated in science teaching research as an important mean to promote the engagement of students in scientific learning. In the context of research in non-formal education, it is debated, specifically, its relevance in promoting updates in scientific knowledge to a broad audience and, thus, collaborating in scientific education and granting them the exercise of citizenship in a democratic society. However, the information deficit model, considered to be the most common guideline of public communication of science, accumulates criticism and shows signs of limitations in the handling of contemporary problems such as antiscience movements. Additionally, it shows itself insufficient for the reflection on political acting perspectives in science outreach. Given the exposed, the present work aims to debate the social and political role of science popularization (and its absence) in democratization and undemocratization of brazilian society, starting from the construction of a theoretical frame appropriate to the philosophical, social and political complexity of the problem and the articulating of existing discourses in the literature in the form of an epistemological panorama which supports proposals, in science teaching environment as well as in correlated contexts, to mobilize science popularization as an instrument for dialog between scientists and society with the purpose to promote and uphold democracy.