Main trends of research in the social and human ... - unesdoc - Unesco

The organization and financing of research 777
c. CREDILA (Centre de Recherches, #Etudes et de Documentation sur les Institutions
et la Ugislation Africaines) documents and synthesizes material
designed to assist the study of African problems in the fields of law, legislation
and administration. It is attached to the Faculty of Law and Economics.
d. Some research is also undertaken by the DBpartment d‘Arabe et de Civilisation
Musulmane of the University and by the Fraternit6 de Saint-Dominique.
40. A division of labour has grown up between international bodies, such
as the United Nations Institute and the organizations with counterparts in
France and those which have been promoted by African interests. The former
play the predominant role in studies of social and economic development, the
latter in studies of African culture, languages and problems of changing from
the traditional ways of life. Africans have a need to realize their heritage for
themselves and to be able to bring this into effective contact with the international
resources which can help them to develop the many forms of technical
competence required for the development of their societies.
41. Though the scale of the activities described, both in teaching and research,
is small they have a certain completeness. They compose an outline configuration
of what is required. The criticism of undue dispersion should be reconsidered
against this criterion. How could any part of what is being attempted be
left out ? The whole process is in a chrysalis stage. As resources become more
plentiful the experience gained from the many lines of exploration which have
been followed wil enable decisive investments to be made in selected directions.
These directions wil not always be the same for other African countries which
yet can learn from what has been going on in Senegal.
The Republic of Ireland as a bridge country
42. Senegal experience suggests that ‘learning posts’ which exist among the
developing countries themselves may have an exceedingly important role as
media through which other such countries can learn. Close to their own experi-
ence, they are easy to identify with. They are non-threatening and non-suspect
Former colonial powers are the object of complex ambivalences. The super-
powers overwhelm. UN agencies, while being trusted, are often difficult to
reach as the channels are official and there is little control over the selection of
experts. In many cases, the developing countries do not know what to ask for.
All this suggests that there may be a role among the smaller and less developed
countries of Europe as ‘bridge countries’ particularly acceptable to developing
countries. Being relatively undeveloped, they are felt to belong to the develop-
ing world. Their situation in Europe, however, gives them a footing in the other
camp. They can act as bridges. Moreover, they can be approached informally.
Networks of contact can grow up through people who meet and get to know
each other at internationaI conferences, on missions, and in a variety of special
settings.
43. A country such as the Republic of Ireland has great potentiality in this
regard.g2 It is experienced as an independent country. A small one as well as a