Scientific Knowledge Systems Research Articles

Un dialogue de sourds ? Transfert scientifique franco-allemand à partir des revues académiques de gestion (1986-2005)

Reviewing and analyzing new research outcomes are important prerequisites for scientific progress. If one interprets science as a universal pursuit of knowledge development, then transparency and communication between national scientific systems is indispensable. This communication can take place thanks to international knowledge transfer and diffusion. This article examines on the basis of scientific journals in business administration in Germany and France how and to what extent such transfer is currently taking place. In which way the results of the research contribute to a knowledge enlargement and are integrated in the French and German scientific knowledge system?

The Cultural Interface of Islander and Scientific Knowledge

Abstract The interface between Indigenous knowledge systems and Western scientific knowledge systems is a contested space where the difficult dialogue between us and them is often reduced to a position of taking sides. Storytelling is however a very familiar tradition in Indigenous families where we can and do translate expertly difficult concepts from one generation to the next. This article is based on my attempt to story our way through the difficult dialogue and to posit opportunities for more productive engagements about the place of Indigenous knowledge in our future deliberations at the Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Knowledge Conference series.

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Organizing nature

Contemporary understandings of nature, or what is ‘natural’, are increasingly subject to debate in our bio-technological age. In this article, I argue that ideas about nature and biology bear a largely unacknowledged relation to normative ideas about sex in western science and philosophy. By examining the concepts of nature and sex in the writings of prominent 18th-century thinkers such as Kant, Rousseau, Burke and Linnaeus, I try to show that in response to the withdrawal, absence or ‘death’ of God that characterizes the Enlightenment worldview, the desire to control sexual expression emerges as a key feature of scientific, aesthetic and philosophical systems of knowledge. Moreover, this desire shapes the concept of nature in such a way that it becomes amenable to the specifically 19th-century figuration of modern biological science.

The Role of the Internet in Changing Knowledge Ecologies

To a greater extent than is often acknowledged, the modern scientific and university-based knowledge system is a creature of the society of the printing press. Until the turn of the twentyfirst century, print was the medium of scholarly communication. Then, quite suddenly at the turn of the twenty-first century, digital text begins to displace print as the primary means of access to the knowledge of academicians. This article explores some of the consequences of this change. To what extent do digital technologies of representation and communication reproduce the knowledge systems of the half-millennium long history of the modern university or do they disrupt and transform them? To answer this question, this article will explore key aspects of contemporary transformations, not just in the textual forms of digital representation, but the emerging social forms that digitisation reflects, affords and supports. This we call the “social web”, a term we use to describe the kinds of relationships to knowledge and culture that are emerging in the era of pervasively interconnected computing. What, then, are the impacts and potentials of these changes on the processes of formation of new knowledge?

Placing Colonial Ornithology

This paper examines the emergence of colonial ornithology in Upper Canada, 1791-1841, to determine the impact of empire and local contexts on the natural history activity. I argue that colonial ornithology emerged as a by-product of British imperialism that helped to reinforce British, upper- and middle-class, gender-specific white identities through practices of sportsman-hunting, taxidermy, natural theology, and the romantic-aesthetic. However, as this paper reveals, British imperial practices and ideas of ornithology relied on the participation of First Nations and Métis peoples, whose knowledge and skills were instrumental to British naturalists. The First Nations and Métis peoples therefore exerted a real presence in colonial ornithology in Upper Canada--albeit a subservient one in the British ornithological texts--as they positioned themselves as part of the ornithological trade with the collection and trading of specimens. Furthermore, British military officers, settlers, and tourists tapped into American scientific networks and knowledge systems rather than focusing solely on Britain as an imperial centre of accumulation. British imperial ideas and practices of colonial ornithology in Upper Canada therefore remained ambiguous during the early nineteenth century.

The Difficult Way of Social Psychology in Russia

This paper is dedicated to the characteristics of the complicated destiny of social in Russia, something that Western colleagues may be aware of to some degree, but also may be subject to misapprehensions or myths. One of these myths is connected with the belief that there exists a special Russian (earlier Soviet). When is discussed in regional terms specific countries appear in the scientific literature quite seldom, usually referring only to the American social in the case of juxtaposition with European. Meanwhile the attributions German, English or Swedish seem not to be used in any cases (an exception concerns only French social because of the fact that many researchers are engaged in some particular theoretical position). So first of all one has to explain the real specificity of social in Russia. For these reasons (and not only because of national mentality) the narration will be rather long, in order to include some historical facts as well as a brief observations of the theoretical and methodological backgrounds. It would be quite difficult to explain the contemporary status of the discipline without that.The main landmarks of the rise and development of social in RussiaIn fact it is rather impossible to speak about a unique history of social as an academic discipline in Russia before the revolution of 1917. The problems included later in the subject-matter of social were primarily elaborated within sociology (Solovjev, 1874; Sorokin, 1914) or were included into ideological conceptions of social movements and accepted by different social forces. This is the reason that traditionally social was angagiert (affected) by ideology.As to the academic status, one of the first systematic uses of the term (social) psychology was suggested by the sociologist M. Kovalevsky in the lectures read by V. Bekhterev's proposition in the Psychoneurologic Institute in Petersburg (Kovalevsky, 1910). Other references to social were also to be found in sociological or public literature (Petrashicky, 1908; Michailovsky, et al. 1906-1914), and then in psychological works. In this case the connection with social-political movements was expressed less strongly. The most prominent contribution within this tradition was made by V.M. Bechterev (Bechterev, 1903). He defined for the first time the subject-matter of social (collective reflexology) and described one of the most important mechanism of influence - suggestion - studied both at the individual and collective level. Bechterev also organized the first university course in sociology where the relationships between sociology and social were embraced.In summary, the development of the social-psychological ideas in pre-revolutional Russia occurred predominantly not within the but within the wider spectrum of social sciences. And here one has to look for the roots of the transformation in the history of social which took place after the revolution of 1917.Social Psychology in the USSRThe history of Soviet social witnessed two stages of discussion concerning the subject-matter of the discipline: the 1920s and the late 1950-early 1960s. Both of these stages are interesting both from a historical point of view and because they help better understand the place social occupies in the system of scientific knowledge and provide for a more precise definition of its content.In the 1920s, that is in the first years of Soviet power, the discussion was stimulated by two circumstances. On the one hand, life in the new- ly-formed social structures required a solution to the problems relevant to social psychology. On the other hand, socio-psychological knowledge came to the orbit of the acute ideological struggle of those years. The content of this struggle was connected with a demand of reconstructing of the whole system of social sciences on the philosophical base of Marxism. …

Scientific knowledge and higher education in the 21st century: the case against ‘indigenous science'

The emphasis on 'indigenous science' is a recent phenomenon in higher education as elsewhere. There are several projects that underlie this idea: publicisation of the victimisation and exploitation of the areas of practice and research constituting 'ethnoscience', acknowledgement of their autonomy, and their inclusion in tertiary educational curricula. Appeals to indigenous scientific knowledge systems and indigenous knowledge production, therefore, have reclamation as their central focus. This article attempts to cast doubt on the plausibility of this enterprise. For anything to be called 'science', it necessarily involves reference to laws or regularities, observation, description, explanation, prediction and testable hypothesis. While practices, skills and beliefs, and the ascription or attribution of scientific knowledge may vary according to personal, social or cultural context, scientific knowledge and truth as such do not so vary. It is this insight, and not adherence to a questionable idea, that has profound implications for higher education and tertiary curricula.

Aguaruna Knowledge of Bird Foraging Ecology: A comparison with scientific data

We present a detailed look at local ecological knowledge (LEK) of the Aguaruna-Jívaro on plants foraged by frugivorous tropical birds. When asked how a particular plant is useful to people, Aguaruna men often mentioned whether the plant in question was eaten by birds or other animals. The Aguaruna use their knowledge about what plants particular birds eat to help them locate species when hunting. We focus on indigenous knowledge of the diet of five mainly frugivorous bird families that are of local economic importance: Cracidae (guans, chachalacas and curassows), Pipridae (manakins), Psittacidae (parrots), Ramphastidae (toucans) and Steatornithidae (Oilbird). Fieldwork took place in communities along tributaries of the upper Marañón river in the Peruvian Amazon from 2003 to 2005. Results indicate a high correspondence between western science and Aguaruna LEK. This research contributes to the larger goal of promoting dialog between indigenous and scientific systems of knowledge in the context of future conservation efforts.

Local knowledge and training towards management

The urgency of managing marine resources is based on the fact that half of the world stocks are fully exploited, excluding those stocks that are already depleted. Artisanal fisheries in Brazil, both inland and coastal, are responsible for about half of the country’s catches. Therefore, management of local artisanal fisheries is a necessity that provides an additional benefit, considering the observation that decentralization and the use of local ecological knowledge (LEK) in management have given better results than centralized, top-down management. In this study, a third system of knowledge–based on practice and training–is built from the local and scientific systems of knowledge, and a method to accomplish practical steps in local management is shown. Four elements are considered for the process of linking systems towards management: (1) an understanding of the natural environment of the fishery and on the use of natural resources by locals; (2) the knowledge of the marine area used by fishers, i.e., location of fishing spots for each species; (3) the understanding of fisher behavior, e.g., using tools from optimal foraging theory; and (4) the knowledge fishers have of the biology and ecology of species and their LEK, based on studies of the ethnobiology, ethnoecology, and ethnotaxonomy of fish. Considering the availability of publications on topics 1 and 2, illustrative cases are shown using optimal foraging models in Itaipu Beach, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo Bagre, Cananeia, Sao Paulo, and using common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, as an example for a target species. Finally, local programs including training courses using both scientific and local knowledge are proposed within coastal artisanal fisheries.

Knowledge model-based decision support system for maize management

Based on the relationship between crops and circumstances, a dynamic knowledge model for maize management with wide applicability was developed using the system method and mathematical modeling technique. With soft component characteristics incorporated, a component and digital knowledge model-based decision support system for maize management was established on the Visual C++ platform. This system realized six major functions: target yield calculation, design of pre-sowing plan, prediction of regular indices, real-time management control, expert knowledge reference and system administration. Cases were studied on the target yield knowledge model with data sets that include different eco-sites, yield levels of the last three years, and fertilizer and water management levels. The results indicated that this system overcomes the shortcomings of traditional expert systems and planting patterns, such as site-specific conditions and narrow applicability, and can be used more under different conditions and environments. This system provides a scientific knowledge system and a broad decision-making tool for maize management.

Incorporating indigenous knowledge materials. Efforts at Elhafeed Library, Ahfad University, Sudan

This article describes work being done at Ahfad University for Women in Omdurman, Sudan, to document and catalog indigenous knowledge (IK) materials. The recognition and appreciation of IK taps into the intellectual resources associated with it. Librarians, as major workers in the knowledge society, have to recognize their roles in the incorporation of IK into the “scientific knowledge system” with which they are familiar.

Incorporating indigenous knowledge materials. Efforts at Elhafeed Library, Ahfad University, Sudan: A preliminary study

This article describes work being done at Ahfad University for Women in Omdurman, Sudan, to document and catalog indigenous knowledge (IK) materials. The recognition and appreciation of IK taps into the intellectual resources associated with it. Librarians, as major workers in the knowledge society, have to recognize their roles in the incorporation of IK into the “scientific knowledge system” with which they are familiar.

Understanding Differences: Searching for the Social Processes that Construct and Reproduce Variety in Science and Economic Organization

Given the socially constructed nature of social phenomena, such as scientific knowledge and economic systems, and the considerable differences in how they are organized in different societies, the comparative analysis of variations in patterns of social organization and their consequences seems to me to be central to the social sciences. Beginning with the study of how and why scientific fields are differently organized and then comparing business schools and their graduates in Britain and France, a core theme in my intellectual career has been to understand how the organization of particular kinds of social activities varies between different contexts and has contrasting outcomes. More recently, this concern has been extended to the comparative analysis of economic organization in different institutional contexts, first of all in East Asia and then in Europe, leading to the elaboration of the comparative business systems framework. In all cases, I have developed intellectual frameworks for describing the central ways in which these phenomena varied and then attempted to show how particular kinds of institutional contexts can explain these differences. The same approach helps us to understand how the changing environment of research in business and management studies in many countries is influencing research goals and styles.

Creating a Ten-Year Science and Innovation Framework for the UK

The sustainability of a competitive, national economy depends largely on the ability of companies to deliver innovative knowledge-intensive goods and services to the market. These are the ultimate outputs of a scientific knowledge system. Ideas flow from the critical, identifiable phases of (a) the discovery, (b) the development, (c) the deployment and (d) the delivery of end products. In order to develop a successful ten-year strategic framework for investment in science and innovation, the UK government will need to prioritize and secure contributions to economic development and public service. One particular goal of the framework would be to identify the desirable attributes of a knowledge system that could achieve these ambitions. The Cambridge–MIT Institute (CMI) interviewed US stakeholders in science and innovation to gather insights on the UK's potential for long-term, scientific innovation, and the critical processes that fuel it. This paper reviews high-level observations, proposes a model for a scientific knowledge system and outlines its critical attributes.

The intersection of scientific and indigenous ecological knowledge in coastal Melanesia: implications for contemporary marine resource management*

Fundamental differences in the worldviews of western marine scientists and coastal Melanesian fishers have resulted in very different conclusions being drawn from similar sets of observations. The same inductive logic may lead both scientists and indigenous fishers to conclude that, say, square‐tail trout aggregate at a certain phase of the moon in a certain reef passage, but different assumptions derived from disparate worldviews may lead to very different conclusions about why the fish are there. In some cases these differences have significant implications for the way marine resources are (or are not) exploited and managed. Here I analyse examples of what I call empirical gaps in both scientific and indigenous knowledge concerning the biology and ecology of fished organisms that in some cases have led to the poor management of stocks of these species. I argue that scientific education can complement indigenous knowledge systems and thus lead to improved resource management, despite some claims that scientific and indigenous knowledge systems are incommensurable.

The challenge of preparing and equipping science teachers in higher education to integrate scientific and indigenous knowledge systems for learners

The Revised National Curriculum Statement for the Natural Sciences expects learners to acquire scientific and indigenous knowledge which will enable them to, (1) solve practical problems within and outside the science classroom and (2) 'demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between science and technology, society and the environment' (Department of Education 2002, 10). The contention of this article is that the attainment of these objectives depends teachers' ability to equip their learners with the necessary intellectual skills and that this in turn, depends on the quality of their training at the higher the education level. Further, the paper shows how science teachers have modified their views about indigenous knowledge systems and pedagogical practices after enrolling on a module specifically designed to challenge their essentially mechanistic worldview.

Citizen involvement in sustainability-centred environmental assessment follow-up

In Canada, many project proponents and planners in the public and private sectors are required to forecast and minimize the adverse environmental effects of their undertakings. However, environmental assessments have traditionally been weak in the areas of planning and conducting effective monitoring, encouraging public participation, integrating social and ecological considerations, encouraging environmental rehabilitation and enhancement, and examining cumulative effects of multiple projects. This paper attempts to address these deficiencies together by drawing from theory and practice in citizen-based monitoring, in the interests of sustainable livelihoods, using local knowledge. Informed by case study research in several regions of Canada, the discussion focuses on opportunities for using citizen-based approaches to broad and continuing regional monitoring as a foundation for the project-centred work that is the usual concern of environmental assessment follow-up. Such approaches have advantages beyond the usual expectations of project-centred monitoring and beyond the conventional arguments for increasing local involvement in environmental assessments. However, there are also challenges including those of integrating local and conventional (or scientific) knowledge systems, addressing concerns about the credibility and biases of citizens and project proponents, ensuring attention to broader sustainability goals such as increased stewardship and civility, and developing practical ways of coordinating and funding integrated and participatory monitoring programs. The concluding recommendations call for a dramatically different approach to follow-up activities on the part of private and public project proponents, as well as novel thinking for environmental assessment practitioners.

Knowledge translation and indigenous knowledge

Objective. We wanted to evaluate the interface between knowledge translation theory and Indigenous knowledge. Design. Literature review supplemented by expert opinion was carried out. Method. Thematic analysis to identify gaps and convergences between the two domains was done. Results. The theoretical and epistemological frameworks underlying Western scientific and Indigenous knowledge systems were shown to have fundamental differences. Conclusion. Knowledge translation methods for health sciences research need to be specifically developed and evaluated within the context of Aboriginal communities.

Relief, risk and renewal: mixed therapy regimens in an Australian suburb

In recent decades, health care has been transformed by the proliferation of non-biomedical therapies that are mostly unsupported by government-authorised systems of health care, and are referred to in the health social science literature by terms such as “alternative” or “complementary” medicine, or the acronym “CAM”. From the perspective of users, who are often pluralistic and pragmatic in their orientation to healing modalities, “mixed therapy regimens” is a less dichotomised and more appropriate conceptualisation of the process of seeking health care from diverse sources of expertise. This paper reports on an anthropological study of residents of an Australian suburb, where it was found that 24% of interviewees in a community-based sample reported they or members of their household had used non-biomedical therapies. It was found that users of mixed therapy regimens regard the felt effectiveness of therapies to be more important than legitimacy deriving from a professionalised scientific knowledge system. “Natural” therapies, variously defined (and including vitamins), are valued as a counterweight to forms of disability and malaise that are often associated with risks of modern life. Pharmaceuticals (especially prescription products), by contrast, were not infrequently subjected to radical critique and various forms of practical resistance. The contrast between pharmaceuticals and “natural” therapies in many residents’ accounts points to the moral criteria that are an important dimension along which the effectiveness of care is evaluated. “Natural” remedies and mixed therapy regimens can also be interpreted as antidotes for the experience of living in a “risk society”, part of a project of resistance to the hazards of modernity carried out at the site of the body.