Arab Knowledge Report 2009: Towards Productive

limit knowledge exclusively to the realmof science and technology. The remainingfacets of the definition were presentedin the form of assertions that identifiedthe technological and economic polesas the main reflections of the knowledgesociety. The knowledge society based oninnovation creates its new manifestationsthrough the give and take of technologicaldevelopment and the improvement ofhuman theoretical acuity, and contributesto the goal of expanding human options.In the repertoire of concepts nowcommonly used, “synonymity” has beenreplaced by “interaction,” which betterexpresses the relationship of the termswithin whose framework the discoursesof the knowledge society are organised.A critical attitude was necessary with regardto the positivist quantitative mindsetand the modernisation orientation in itshuman rights and political aspects. Thisattitude allowed us to deconstruct thesetwo positions, uncover their ideologicaldimensions, and scrutinise some of theirparadoxes and contradictions of reality. Themeaning of the concept of the knowledgesociety was expanded by reference tothe requirements of the state of Arabepistemological reality. The axis dealingwith the problematics of the knowledgesociety raised a sample of the mostimportant questions posed, such as thoserelated to identity, language, technology,gender inequality, and challenges to valuesand ethics. It also raised the question ofpolitical participation and democraticreform in the Arab world. We expressedour belief that the reinforcement of thepath to attaining the knowledge societyin the Arab world is inseparable from thetwin demands for a renaissance and forhuman development, which form the longrange goals of this report. Our objectivein the above has been to formulate anArab perception of these topics andproblematics and thus produce a visionthat combines an analysis of the data andindicators with consideration of them inthe light of the complex and compositenature of the knowledge society.The knowledge society will never bebrought into being through the meretransfer of technology or its complacentconsumption, nor will it come aboutthrough acceptance of the status quo andof dependency, or of the unreflectivecommoditization of knowledge. Effectiveand creative involvement can only beattained by building an all-embracingvision of the topic, a vision that doesnot ignore the fact that epistemologicalcommodities and tools, and technologies,repress certain values and create others,and that the progress to which we aspirecalls for a major infusion of knowledge,alertness, and awareness.Passage through the portals ofknowledge—the rite of passage of ourage par excellence—requires of the Arabsthat they complete two steps at one andthe same time: reconciliation with the self,through the diagnosis of its weaknessesand failures, and reconciliation with therest of the world, through a commitmentto learn from its achievements. Both stepscall for considerable daring and courage—qualities that are essential if history is tobe made.Attaining theknowledge societyrequires of theArabs that theycomplete twosteps at one andthe same time:reconciliation withthe self, throughthe diagnosis ofits weaknessesand failures, andreconciliation withthe rest of theworld, througha commitmentto learn from itsachievementsTHE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: CONCEPTS AND PROBLEMATICS OF THE KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY55