Quelle politique de la science pour un pays intermédiaire ?

This paper provides an overview of the difficulties faced by the south-African scientific system in meeting three major challenges. Two of them emerged during the period of the democratic transition (1990-1994): that of bringing science closer to the “needs of the people” (especially the less favour...

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Main Author: Philippe Losego
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Société d'Anthropologie des Connaissances 2008-12-01
Series:Revue d'anthropologie des connaissances
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/rac/18567
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author Philippe Losego
author_facet Philippe Losego
author_sort Philippe Losego
collection DOAJ
description This paper provides an overview of the difficulties faced by the south-African scientific system in meeting three major challenges. Two of them emerged during the period of the democratic transition (1990-1994): that of bringing science closer to the “needs of the people” (especially the less favoured communities) and that of correcting the racial inequalities in access to scientific employment. But now, after the first decade of these new institutions (1994-2004), the most urgent need is seen as being that of increasing the size of South Africa’s scientific community. My argument in this paper will be that these three goals of meeting a social demand, developing an affirmative action and building a large national scientific community are closely interrelated. South Africa’s science system constitutes a counter-example to the “polanyian” ethics of science. Instead of a highly elitist, “free and uninterested science”, the problem of integrating science into the social fabric of the nation lies at the heart of the science policy debate. After attempting a periodization of the history of this debate, I will discuss new and innovative research funding initiatives designed to increase South Africa’s scientific population.
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spelling doaj-art-578ed3897aa84a8c8aacb05b825765f12025-08-20T02:26:32ZfraSociété d'Anthropologie des ConnaissancesRevue d'anthropologie des connaissances1760-53932008-12-01210.3917/rac.005.0361Quelle politique de la science pour un pays intermédiaire ?Philippe LosegoThis paper provides an overview of the difficulties faced by the south-African scientific system in meeting three major challenges. Two of them emerged during the period of the democratic transition (1990-1994): that of bringing science closer to the “needs of the people” (especially the less favoured communities) and that of correcting the racial inequalities in access to scientific employment. But now, after the first decade of these new institutions (1994-2004), the most urgent need is seen as being that of increasing the size of South Africa’s scientific community. My argument in this paper will be that these three goals of meeting a social demand, developing an affirmative action and building a large national scientific community are closely interrelated. South Africa’s science system constitutes a counter-example to the “polanyian” ethics of science. Instead of a highly elitist, “free and uninterested science”, the problem of integrating science into the social fabric of the nation lies at the heart of the science policy debate. After attempting a periodization of the history of this debate, I will discuss new and innovative research funding initiatives designed to increase South Africa’s scientific population.https://journals.openedition.org/rac/18567developing countriesscience policySouth-Africascientific systemsapartheidaffirmative action
spellingShingle Philippe Losego
Quelle politique de la science pour un pays intermédiaire ?
Revue d'anthropologie des connaissances
developing countries
science policy
South-Africa
scientific systems
apartheid
affirmative action
title Quelle politique de la science pour un pays intermédiaire ?
title_full Quelle politique de la science pour un pays intermédiaire ?
title_fullStr Quelle politique de la science pour un pays intermédiaire ?
title_full_unstemmed Quelle politique de la science pour un pays intermédiaire ?
title_short Quelle politique de la science pour un pays intermédiaire ?
title_sort quelle politique de la science pour un pays intermediaire
topic developing countries
science policy
South-Africa
scientific systems
apartheid
affirmative action
url https://journals.openedition.org/rac/18567
work_keys_str_mv AT philippelosego quellepolitiquedelasciencepourunpaysintermediaire