Institute vir gevorderde navorsing : elitistiese luuksheid of bakermat van die wetenskap?
Date
2019
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
LitNet
Abstract
Institute vir gevorderde navorsing (IGN’s) is lank reeds deel van die akademiese toneel. Tog
is hierdie instellings betreklik onbekend en word hulle dikwels met agterdog bejeën en gesien
as eksklusiewe klubs wat net vir ’n paar uitverkorenes toeganklik is. Die artikel bied ’n kritiese
oorsig oor die herkoms van die idee, die hoofdoelstellings en eiesoortige werkwyse, die
verhouding met die res van die navorsingswêreld, die kenmerkende etos, en die potensiële
bydrae wat hierdie soort van instelling kan lewer. Vir hierdie doel word geput uit die
geskiedenis en ervaring van IGN’s in verskeie wêrelddele, maar in besonder van
die Stellenbosse Instituut vir Gevorderde Navorsing (STIAS, na aanleiding van die Engelse
naam, Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study).
Die eerste gedeelte bied ’n oorsig oor die ontstaansgeskiedenis vanaf die eerste instituut wat in
1930 in Princeton gestig is tot op hede, waar tientalle IGN’s in feitlik elke land bestaan.
Vervolgens word die simbiotiese verhouding tussen universiteite en IGN’s bespreek. Die mees
suksesvolle institute word gedra deur ’n paar kernwaardes wat mekaar onderling versterk. Dit
word gekenmerk deur die klem op die vryheid van wetenskaplike ondersoek, die drang na
grensoorskryding, die aanvaarding van onvolledigheid, die strewe na inklusiwiteit (wat onder
andere elitistiese en uitsluitende neigings teenwerk) en ’n fokus op die uiteindelike bydrae tot
die algemene welsyn. Uit hierdie waardes het ’n bepaalde etos ontwikkel wat met voorbeelde
uit die praktyk geïllustreer word.
Ten slotte word geargumenteer dat ten spyte van gevalle waar die edele doelstellings versaak
word, die mees suksesvolle IGN’s ’n belangrike bydrae lewer tot die bevordering van die
wetenskap en tot die nimmereindigende soektog na nuwe insigte en kennis.
Despite the fact that institutes for advanced study (IASs) have been part of the academic landscape for almost a century, they remain relatively unknown to the general public and even to the scholarly community. To a certain extent they have themselves to blame for this obscurity. They are associated with retreat, withdrawal from the daily routine and concentrated, uninterrupted work. They are wary of the limelight and operate mostly behind the scenes. Not surprisingly, their purpose and function are often misunderstood. The claim to be performing “advanced study” creates the impression of superiority, and the strict selection process of fellows increases the suspicion that they are exclusive clubs accessible to only a privileged minority. In view of the economic and social challenges of our time, can it be justified to allocate scarce resources for research just for the sake of research? Are these institutions not just a form of elitist luxury or are they indeed incubators of science?
Despite the fact that institutes for advanced study (IASs) have been part of the academic landscape for almost a century, they remain relatively unknown to the general public and even to the scholarly community. To a certain extent they have themselves to blame for this obscurity. They are associated with retreat, withdrawal from the daily routine and concentrated, uninterrupted work. They are wary of the limelight and operate mostly behind the scenes. Not surprisingly, their purpose and function are often misunderstood. The claim to be performing “advanced study” creates the impression of superiority, and the strict selection process of fellows increases the suspicion that they are exclusive clubs accessible to only a privileged minority. In view of the economic and social challenges of our time, can it be justified to allocate scarce resources for research just for the sake of research? Are these institutions not just a form of elitist luxury or are they indeed incubators of science?
Description
CITATION: Lategan, B. 2019. Institute vir gevorderde navorsing : elitistiese luuksheid of bakermat van die wetenskap? LitNet Akademies, 16(3):321-344.
The original publication is available at https://www.litnet.co.za
The original publication is available at https://www.litnet.co.za
Keywords
Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Research institutes -- South Africa, Knowledge, Theory of, Creative thinking, Research institutes -- Ethics, Education, Higher -- Research
Citation
Lategan, B. 2019. Institute vir gevorderde navorsing : elitistiese luuksheid of bakermat van die wetenskap? LitNet Akademies, 16(3):321-344.