Bibliometric mapping of techno-scientific systems of small Latin American worlds

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the evolution of the scientific production of Costa Rica and Panama, from Central America and Paraguay and Uruguay, from South America in the period 2000–2018. To achieve this, first, a bibliometric mapping was performed using the Web of Science (WoS) database. Second, the triple helix model was used to determine whether there are similar patterns or marked differences in the distribution of this type of publications in the helices of government, academia and industry. Design/methodology/approach The steps followed in this study were as follows: design and application of an algorithm to perform WoS downloads; download the publications using the country descriptor; process data using R and VOSviewer; design of a profile of the selected countries based on indicators; and use of the triple helix model to determine the weight of the scientific production. Findings The data found corroborate that the small technoscientific worlds examined do not have the minimum Science & Technology personnel nor the capabilities in infrastructure and technological equipment, and that expenditure in this area is minimal and for these reasons, the production in the WoS is low. Originality/value Studying the small technoscientific worlds from a bibliometric perspective allows generating inputs to diagnose the state of these countries in this area, as no evidence of similar studies in these countries was found in Scopus or the WoS. Likewise, examining scientific production from the triple helix model makes it possible to identify the weaknesses of each actor, and the results can contribute to the design of better public policies.

THE USE OF ROBOTIC TELESCOPES IN THE SCIENCE-IES PROJECT IN SPAIN

ScienceIES is a distinctive way to teach Astronomy and other scientific disciplines, focusing in high-school students (age 15-17). ScienceIES is the name of the project started in 2010 at regional level in Andalucía (south Spain) pulling together the educational and scientific systems with students in the target. Some of the Astronomy projects are based on the use of robotic telescopes, such as the ones of the BOOTES worldwide network. Some of the projects are presented here.

PROSPECTIVE DIRECTIONS OF LAW-MAKING FOR MODERNIZATION OF EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC SYSTEMS OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

The article reveals prospects for legislative implementation of educational and scientific systems of higher education institutions in the circumstances of European integration of educational space as envisaged by constitutional provisions of Ukrainian education. It highlights stages in evolution of ideological basis for development of the legislative process in the field of education. It has been found that the first stage established the ideology for development of a national education system; the second stage launched modernization of the national education in accordance with the European standards and principles; the third stage activated the potential for modernization of Ukrainian school on the basis of social equality and cohesion, economic development and competitiveness of Ukraine. The article exposes directions in development of legislation in the field of education which are determined by structural components. It has been established that development of each of the listed areas is covered in provisions of two framework laws on education, state programs and branch-specific laws that have been approved since Ukraine has proclaimed its independence. Analysis of the abovementioned sources facilitated exposure of certain advantages and contradictions, the consideration of which is an important precondition in forming a new regulatory environment for education. Key words: law of Ukraine, higher education, stages and prospects of law-making.

AN AFRICAN BASKETRY OF HETEROGENEOUS VARIABLES DAHOMEYDAHALO-DANDI

— In terms of scientific systems approach to the knowledge of human origins, human organizations, human histories, human kingdoms, human languages, human populations and above all the human genes, unquestionable scientific evidence with human dignity flabbergasted the European strong world of slavemasters and colonialist-policy-rulers. This deduces that the early Europeans knew nothing scientific about the mankind beforehand unleashing their one-up-man-ship over Africa and the Africans except that they were the white skinned flocks and so, not the kith and kin of the Africans in black skin living in what they called the ‘Dark Continent’! Of course, in later times, the same masters and rulers committed to not repeating their colonialist racial geo-political injustices. The whites were domineering and weaponized to the hilt on their own mentality, for their own interests and by their own logic opposing the geopolitically distant African blacks inhabiting the natural resources enriched frontiers. Those ‘twists and twitches’ in time-line led to the black’s slavery and white’s slave-trade with meddling Christian Adventist Missionaries, colonialists, religious conversionists, Anglican Universities’ Missions , inter-sexual-births, the associative asomi , the dissociative asomi and the non-asomi divisions within African natives in concomitance . And yet, an indelible African Awe Era (AWE) prevailed in the African Continent. How is it made possible by the Africans? No people or no language or no kingdom exists without some kind of moral, social and political framework and when this is not written-down, it may be strongest as the unwritten-down. A number of early European-written-down accounts in respect of the European-called ‘Black Africans’ boomeranged when the European scientific researchers discovered that the genetic roots of mankind exploded in Africa proclaiming African commonality superimposed. The first woman of all human beings is an African Mother indeed as confir

Dynamics of small Latin American techno-scientific worlds. A view from the triple helix

Purpose This study aims to compare the techno-scientific systems of four Latin American countries: Panama and Costa Rica for Central America and Uruguay and Paraguay for South America. The overall objective is to explore their performance in terms of generation of knowledge in science and technology using the triple helix model as a framework. Design/methodology/approach The methodological approach applied was scientometric and bibliometric. The management of the techno-scientific governance in each country was analysed; input, process and output indicators were applied and a table of correlated factors was generated to determine the capabilities of each. The triple helix was used as a framework, as the study assessed the capabilities of the three actors in this model (academia, industry and government). Findings By studying this type of small Latin American techno-scientific worlds and the interrelationships between the three actors examined, it can be seen that there is a limited supply of certified knowledge and weak interactions between these helixes and this restricts the development of innovation initiatives. Originality/value There is little evidence of evaluations of the techno-scientific systems of peripheral countries and even less of the smaller ones. By cross-referencing governance information with indicators and generating a multi-factorial matrix, new knowledge is being generated that will contribute both to the general knowledge and to the improvement of public policy decisions in these countries.

Administration of Scientific Systems in the Science and Technology Policy

The slowdown of the global pace of science and technology progress and the urgency of searching for new methods and forms of organizing state science and technology policy for all countries aspiring to technological, economic and political leadership are analyzed. On the basis of the concept of adhocratic organizations, as well as existing administration models of scientific systems, an attempt is made to determine the most optimal and probable vector of development of the state science and technology policy in the Russian Federation.

Det mystiske X. Rekonstruktionen af tabte identiteter

The article describes the methodological development of Identification in forensic medicine, thereby sketching out the historical interconnection between art, medicine and anthropology. Social anthropology usually understands personal identity as a person’s sense of belonging to a certain group on various grounds. Physical anthropology, on the other hand, understands personal identity as identification. The reconstruction of a person’s identity from bodily remains can be done only with help of measurements and use of “scientific” systems for classification of humans. The article shows these systems as cultural constructs. Also artists are sometimes called in to help reconstruct a human face for identification. Like natural scientists, artists have systems of signs - only they seem to escape conscious classifications, putting science in a dilemma. The continued use of medical artists and computerised “phantom” images when constructing a hypothetical identity, urges the author to recommend further research into the semiotics of art and science, especially with the regard to culturally determined ways of seeing, measuring and classifying.

Sciences as Systems

This paper opens by distinguishing between the multiple concepts of system and the philosophical idea of system. It then goes on to discuss the differences between systems and other proximate ideas, such as whole, set, aggregate and structure. Subsequently, it proposes a definition of system, and then lays out three classifications of systems. When elaborating a general definition of system, the main challenge is finding a general criterion with which to characterize both technical systems built by men (for instance, machines), and scientific systems independent of human subjects (for instance, the solar system). The criterion proposed in the text solves this difficulty. Lastly, from the tenets of Gustavo Bueno’s hyperrealist philosophy of categorial closure, I put forward the consideration of the sciences as systems.

SOCIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND IDEOLOGY IN THE GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC: THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION PROCESSES OF A DISCIPLINE

This article analyzes the dissemination of sociological knowledge in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) and other fields of cultural production in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), from the early postwar period to German reunification. In this regard, I investigate the relationships between sociology and politics, taking into account the specific contexts of the GDR-State and the institutionalization processes of these disciplines. To prevent a deterministic understanding of political power on academic and scientific systems, I adopt the Bourdieusian concept of field (cf. Bourdieu 1966; 1984; 1985; Bourdieu and Wacquant 1992; Bourdieu and Boltanski 2008). This concept allows me to highlight how the relationship between the academic and political fields changed over time by simultaneously looking at the influences of political, cultural, social and economic transformations of GDR society on the political goals of the GDR-State and the strategies of sociologists within the broader field of production of sociological knowledge.