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Volume 12, Issue 4, October - December 2023
CONTENT
Chair's Foreword
Decolonising African Science and Technology?
Earth Science Events
References and selected reading
Chair's Foreword*
This quarter saw the loss of a most loyal and supportive friend of the Society in the wonderful incarnation in this life of Claire Shepherd. We dedicate this issue to her beloved memory, on a topic I know would be dear to her heart: decolonisation - but as applied to science and technology. The photo featured for our article this quarter was taken by Claire herself, and is an example of how over the years she has supported the work of the Society.
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| Launch of the Society of African Earth Scientists at Africa Centre, London 26th April, 2012 |
Decolonising African Science and Technology?
It appears that this quarter we are contemplating social phenomena or events that work their way naturally into scientific discourse, or at least the way in which it is presented and accessed; or sometimes, in the manner in which unchallenged dogma underpinned by racism and colonial attitudes must be re-evaluated and done away with.
"Decolonisation" is a terminology that has emerged into the public discourse and consciousness. In the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd in 2020 in public view globally, a re-evaluation has been demanded of all systems that oppress and disadvantage black/African/indigenous people. This wave of decolonisation has rippled through such areas as education, with some English schools choosing to decolonise their curriculum, by making contributions of all cultures appreciated [1], [2] and included in areas such as maths history. In philanthropy the example occurs of the Lankelly Chase Foundation[3] that re-examined its role in giving aid and decided to close and disburse all its funds to charities, rather than continue to perpetuate a colonial legacy.
Inevitably, science and technology has had to fall under the same spotlight of scrutiny and re-evaluation. As part of a decolonise science project, a team of professional African science communicators called Science Link, have compiled summaries of prominent or popular papers from the new pan-African digital archive, AfricArxiv, including the paper "The Ishango Bone: The World's First Known Mathematical Sieve and Table of the Small Prime Numbers" first published by the Society of African Earth Scientists in December 2020 [4] and currently enjoying growing popularity, with well over 2000 downloads of the paper being made to date from the AfricArxiv online portal since its publication there in February 2021. The paper has also enjoyed distribution via popular African media outlets, such as Msingi Afrika Magazine [4a].
The dynamics and momentum to decolonise science in Africa has to an extent always been present, particularly in the drive to adopt appropriate technology to African needs. However, this movement has gained much greater pace since the events of 2020. A veritable global movement which included protests by groups such as Black Lives Matter and sometimes other fringe movements, toppled public monuments around the globe [5]; made demands in the Caribbean (Barbados, Jamaica) for reparations and dissociation from the monarchy of England [6], [7]. All this forms the backdrop to the inevitable influence of social events on the manner in which science is communicated,
In the quest for decolonising African Science and Technology, initiatives like Science Link play an important role. By compiling summaries of current research [8], they enhance accessibility to African research fostering global understanding and collaboration particularly among African diaspora scientists. The inception of the AfricArxiv digital archive in 2018 marks a significant stride, providing a platform for the dissemination of indigenous knowledge.
A key concern to be addressed is the inequity highlighted by the fee imposed on African contributors by European publishers as in the example of the Journal of African Earth Sciences. For example, Elsevier, the European publishing house that produces the Journal, charges a fee of $2650 to publish [9]. Eliminating such economic barriers is essential for creating an inclusive environment that will also nurture youth innovation and job creation opportunities for young African scientists. Not only is the fee charged to publish, but copies of papers sell at $50 each. This makes articles in this journal inaccessible to most African students and researchers.
The decolonisation of African science and technology is more than simply a question of access. It requires a redefinition of power imbalances and dynamics; acknowledging African perspectives and the value of indigenous technologies; dismantling dogmas and systematic biases influenced by a jaundiced view of African peoples and their capabilities.
The collaborative effort of platforms like AfricArxiv and advocates for equitable science publishing practices are important steps towards a scientific landscape, more suited to African needs and progress.
Finally, as the discussions are on decolonisation, we must close with a question posed on Congo on the Society's social media: How can we employ the scientific heritage of the Congo to benefit its people; how can we use the fact that Congo is the oldest home of mathematics (of the prime numbers) [10] to draw attention to the need to halt the exploitation of Congolese people and the continued terrible colonial and neo-colonial legacy of exploitation of the Congo?
Earth Science Events
March 25-26, 2024
International Conference on Geophysics & Dynamic Tectonics
VISION: https://waset.org/geophysics-and-dynamic-tectonics-conference-in-may-2024-in-algiers
VENUE: Algiers, Algeria
April 25-27, 2024
International Conference on Geotechnical Engineering
VISION: https://www.icge24.com
VENUE: Hammamet, Tunisia
May 15-18, 2024
6th Euro-Mediterranean Conference for Environmental Integration
VISION: https://waset.org/geophysics-and-dynamic-tectonics-conference-in-may-2024-in-algiers
VENUE: Marrakesh, Morocco
October 6-9, 2024
XVIII African Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
VISION: https://algeos-dz.com/18ARC.html
VENUE: Hammamet, Tunisia
References and selected reading
[1] Denise Miller, Shone Surendran and Emma Towers. Decolonising the school curriculum: a special feature. London Review of Education. 2023. Vol. 21(1). DOI: 10.14324/LRE.21.1.06
[2] 'White guilt on its own won't fix racism': decolonising Britain's schools | Education | The Guardian
[3] https://lankellychase.org.uk/news/lankelly-chase-to-wholly-redistribute-its-assessts-over-the-next-five-years/
[6] Barbados Is Ready to Break With the Queen—Here’s Why (foreignpolicy.com)
[7] Jamaica could be the first Commonwealth nation to remove King Charles as head of state - ABC News
[8] The Ishango Bone, op. cit.
[9]https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-african-earth-sciences/publish/open-access-options
[10] The Ishango Bone, op. cit.
*Board of the Society of African Earth Scientists: Dr Enas Ahmed (Egypt), Osmin Callis (Secretary - Guyana/Nigeria), Mathada Humphrey (South Africa), Ndivhuwo Cecilia Mukosi (South Africa), Damola Nadi (Nigeria), Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu (Chair - Nigeria).
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