roseanne diab
11.1 SUMMARY
T
here are likely few who have had the By far the most significant historical influ-
perseverance to read this book from ence on science, however, has been that of
cover to cover, yet the perspective the apartheid era. This was expressed as an
gained by so doing reveals some underly- overriding refrain in virtually every chapter
ing themes pertinent to development of and its impact recorded. Commencing with
science in South Africa and its current sta- the introductory chapter, the isolation that
tus, and at the same time provides some beset South African science and scientists
insights into the future challenges. An at- during the 1970s and 1980s was noted; it
tempt is made to capture these in this con- was difficult for South African scientists to
cluding chapter. attend international meetings and to invite
international scholars to visit the country;
Not surprisingly, history has shaped the and many South African scientific organisa-
South African science landscape in a most tions were banned from being members of
definitive way. The colonial period of the international bodies. In subsequent chap-
18
th
century laid the foundation for much ters, authors wrote of the difficulty of pub-
of South African science as leading Euro- lishing scholarly work, in some instances
pean scientists who were attracted to live because of the secretive or ‘classified’ na-
or work at the Cape by its natural assets ture of the research in strategic areas such
and the research opportunities presented, as the armaments industry.
amongst them Charles Darwin, John Her-
schel and Robert Koch. The medical and The lack of international collaboration and
veterinary sciences too were influenced by the different responses of South African
colonial practices and diseases prevalent in scholars (black and white, English and Afri-
the former Cape Colony. kaans) expressed itself in a system of sepa-
rate compartments and ideologies that is
Underpinning the early scientific knowledge eloquently described in the humanities
of the first settlers and visitors to the Cape, chapter and was a reflection of the separate
however, was a rich indigenous knowledge universities established by the state at that
base which was not fully appreciated in the time. Thus there arose a system of relatively
formal scientific literature until many years privileged white universities (now called
later. Today, there is a strong focus on indig- historically white universities) and under-
enous knowledge systems, supported by a resourced black universities (now called
formal policy passed in 2004 and evident in historically black universities), an inequita-
research endeavours described in the bio- ble pattern that the nation is still struggling
logical sciences and chemistry chapters. to redress some 30 years later.
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