Science, Policy and Development in Africa

Since gaining political independence in the 1950s, science has rapidly become a prerequisite for national development within many African nations. Supported by international agencies, such as UNESCO, initiatives were taken to direct Africa on the road of scientific development, enabling contributions to world science and significant progress in many specific research areas. However, from a developmental perspective there remains the question of how science influences national development plans and strategies. How far are science policies integrated into the national development plans? What potential and challenges do science and technology pose for Africa and its prospects for wider development? Offering a comprehensive historical and empirical study of science in both colonial and post-colonial Africa, R. Sooryamoorthy brings to light the connections between science, policy and development in African nations. Focusing on understanding the widening gap in science and technology between developed and developing regions, and the integration (or lack of) with national development strategies, this study provides important insights into the potential opportunities and challenges facing Africa in the areas of science.

R. Sooryamoorthy is Professor of Sociology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A scientist accredited to the National Research Foundation, he is the co-author of Science in Participatory Development (with Mathew Zachariah, 1994) and author of Transforming Science in South Africa (2015) and Networks of Communication in South Africa (2017).