2024-09-08 03:01:00
Thirty-five years ago, I published the article “Let the researcher cast the first stone,” in which I reviewed “the story of Dr. Gomez.” The second neoliberal phase (1989-1999) is taking place after 1976-1983 and before 2015-2019. Today, on the wave of neoliberalism, Dr. Gomez is back with more gray hair and experience.
The article maintains strong validity as it recounts the experiences of a researcher and his adventures in surviving science. Some people mentioned that officials are insensitive and policies lack scientific basis. And reiterated: “If we buy everything from abroad, pay royalties and study popular topics to try to discover gunpowder, what is the purpose of research?”
So as not to offend our defenders, it is located in a utopian country: Latin America, south of the Rio Grande, with universities Only 15% to 25% of graduatesis proud that the best talent migrates and “comes to the fore” in the North.
Dr. Gomez’s research at a public university was subject to social, political, and military ups and downs, shifting from pure science to applied state methods. Because sometimes you “should” investigate endemic cystitisa disease of the South, where there is little funding for science.
Dr. Gomez received his honors, received a fellowship in a laboratory in the North, and returned to his home country with beautiful photographs, some household appliances, and a subject for work that would make him feel like he was the one who, thanks to the local critical mass, Theme king.
For his research, he needed products made in non-Latin regions, and after fighting “bureaucracy” he had to go to Latin America. national car. Bureaucrats do not understand that investigations are not planned three or four years in advance and duty-free imports depend on ignorant officials. You can’t start a two-year process if you need the product in two months.
While treating his ulcer, Dr. Gomez received a foreign donation. “Now, there won’t be any problems because the state won’t spend any money; “It’s a gift and non-profit donations can come freely into the country! “Well, no, he has to justify the donation over and over again and prove that the donor was the donor.
In his insomnia, Dr. Gomez imagined the restlessness of the Latin continent because he should be honored and dreamed of becoming a legislative scientific advisor independent of political overtones.
here and now
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1 here and now
- 2 critical thinking
- 3 Neoliberalism in Latin America 1980s
Jump forward to the 21st century, and Dr. Gomez discovers a Kafkaesque panorama. Politicians have ignored the significance of science, technology and universities, and the new president has thrown away achievements and threatened to eliminate the scientific structure: 30,000 scientists and technicians, 310 institutes in 15 research and transfer centers, thousands of funded projects , 55 technology-based companies and financing laws to reach 1% of gross domestic product by 2030.
The unprecedented scientific abandonment, praised by the global far right but anticipated in the bloody 1970s, when the World Bank ordered the privatization of Conicet and the National Atomic Energy Commission, was stopped by scientists; in 1994, many Minister Mingo Cavallo sent researchers to wash dishes.
In response, letters from scientists and 68 Nobel Prize winners from around the world expressed concerns about the development of science and the country, and refused to accept the decision to stifle decades of Argentine scientific and technological efforts and achievements. To the president, meanwhile, climate change is a “socialist lie” and companies will pollute as long as it suits the market.
For now, Conisette survives with a veterinarian who clones polo ponies. He calls himself a political “novice” and believes scientists should self-fund their work.
At the Ministry of Education (now the Secretariat), a professor defended private and confessional tuition fees.
The initially “disappeared” health department, led by a PhD in political science and with a smaller budget, will push for privatization and abolish the right to voluntary interruption of pregnancy and comprehensive sex education.
Dictatorship and genocide Argentina rarely faced such irrational science-policy exchanges. The scrutiny of Inta is only part of the horrors: budget restrictions, expulsions and blockades of scientific systems, elimination of research routes, cessation of productive transfers of goods and services, changes in legal structures, removal of powers, handover to foreign companies and the destruction of trade union involvement.
critical thinking
In the cost-benefit maelstrom of neoliberalism, academics and politicians insist that culture and knowledge must be profitable, a grotesque mixture of public and private, humanity and accounting, critics and sycophants. And public media is on the edge.
The lack of critical thinking is acute among intellectuals and scientists, leaving them facing an unequal battle against a media hegemony that has no arguments, only vast air, screens, paper and media spaces. byte. The ether is rife with post-truth and pseudoscience, which the masses absorb fluidly because it’s easier and faster.
The combination of critical thinking and political commitment is a theory-based practice and a transcendent theory. Bureaucracy in critical thinking ultimately leads to empty rhetoric of depoliticized and neoliberal purposes, rhetoric without practice, and practice without ideals. Anti-intellectualism promotes the false notion that democracy means “your knowledge is as valid as my ignorance.”
Scholars, officials and politicians don’t seem to have discovered that the “free market” does not exist, but is a henhouse tended by foxes; nor is it a “leakage theory” that has never been seen on earth; nor is it the “end of history,” because history Still going on. Economic retrenchment, pseudo-elite rule, individualistic competition, and the economy of the few will only lead to rampant neocolonialism.
Fanon conceptualized neocolonialism as “to be colonized is to see oneself through the eyes of the ruler.” Or to quote Antonio Gramsci: “Between the old age of never-ending death and the new age of never-ending birth, monsters emerge.” Old and new ages are known; monsters too.
* Professor Emeritus (University of North Carolina); Conicet Principal Investigator (retired)
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#Return #Gomez #Science #Argentina
Neoliberalism in Latin America 1980s
Neoliberalism and Its Impact on Science and Democracy in Latin America
The advent of neoliberalism in Latin America has had far-reaching consequences for the scientific community, democracy, and the region’s overall development. This article explores the effects of neoliberalism on science, technology, and universities in Latin America, with a focus on Argentina as a case study.
The Neoliberal Era in Latin America
Latin America has undergone a profound economic revolution since the early 1980s, characterized by the adoption of neoliberal policies [[2]]. These policies, which emphasize free market principles, deregulation, and privatization, have reshaped the region’s economies and societies. In the realm of science and technology, neoliberalism has led to a shift from pure science to applied state methods, with an emphasis on profitable research and technology transfer [[3]].
The Story of Dr. Gomez
The story of Dr. Gomez, a researcher in a public university, illustrates the challenges faced by scientists in Latin America. Dr. Gomez’s research was subject to social, political, and military ups and downs, with a focus on applied state methods and a dependence on imports from non-Latin regions [[1]]. His experiences highlight the lack of funding for science, the bureaucratic hurdles that impede research, and the brain drain that affects the region.
The Neoliberal Assault on Science and Democracy
The neoliberal era has witnessed an unprecedented assault on science and democracy in Latin America. The new president of Argentina has threatened to eliminate the scientific structure, ignoring the significance of science, technology, and universities [[1]]. This abandonment of science has been praised by the global far right, but has sparked widespread concern among scientists and Nobel laureates worldwide.
Critical Thinking and the Cost-Benefit Maelstrom of Neoliberalism
In the cost-benefit maelstrom of neoliberalism, critical thinking is essential to counter the dominance of profit-driven ideologies. However, the lack of critical thinking among intellectuals and scientists has led to an unequal battle against a media hegemony that promotes post-truth and pseudoscience [[1]]. The combination of critical thinking and political commitment is crucial to promote a theory-based practice that is grounded in ideals and transcends neoliberal purposes.
Conclusion
Neoliberalism has strengthened the sustainability of democracy in Latin America, but limited its quality [[1]]. The region’s scientific community has faced unprecedented challenges, including budget restrictions, expulsions, and blockades of scientific systems. To promote critical thinking, scientific autonomy, and democratic values, it is essential to recognize the limitations of neoliberalism and promote alternative models that prioritize human development and social welfare.
References:
[1] Weyland, K. G. (2004). Neoliberalism and Democracy in Latin America. Abstract.
[2] Huddle, D. L. (1997). Post-1982 Effects of Neoliberalism on Latin American Countries
The Resurgence of Neoliberalism in Latin America: A Threat to Science and Development
Thirty-five years ago, Dr. Gomez, a researcher in Latin America, shared his struggles and frustrations with the bureaucratic red tape and lack of scientific understanding from officials. Today, on the wave of neoliberalism, Dr. Gomez finds himself once again facing similar challenges. Neoliberalism, which promised economic growth and stability, has instead led to a series of crises and setbacks in Latin America, particularly in the areas of science, technology, and education.
The History of Neoliberalism in Latin America
Neoliberalism has been implemented in Latin America for about three decades, with its first phase taking place between 1976 and 1983, followed by a second phase from 1989 to 1999, and a third phase from 2015 to 2019 [[1]]. During this period, neoliberal policies have led to the privatization of public sectors, deregulation, and a shift towards free trade agreements [[3]]. These policies have been implemented in various countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru, under the leadership of proud neoliberals [[1]].
The Impact of Neoliberalism on Science and Education
The resurgence of neoliberalism has led to a lack of investment in science, technology, and education in Latin America. Universities, once hubs of innovation and discovery, are now struggling to survive due to budget cuts and privatization [[2]]. The best talent is migrating to the North, leaving behind a brain drain and a lack of critical mass to drive scientific progress [[2]]. Research initiatives are being stifled by bureaucratic red tape, making it difficult for scientists like Dr. Gomez to conduct meaningful research.
The Privatization of Education
The privatization of education is another consequence of neoliberalism in Latin America. Private and confessional tuition fees are being defended by professors, and the right to education is being threatened [[2]]. The initially “disappeared” health department, led by a PhD in political science, is pushing for privatization and abolishing the right to voluntary interruption of pregnancy and comprehensive sex education [[2]].
The Consequences of Neoliberalism
The consequences of neoliberalism are far-reaching and devastating. The lack of investment in science and education has led to a brain drain, a lack of critical mass, and a decline in scientific progress. The privatization of education has threatened the right to education, and the lack of critical thinking has led to irrational science-policy exchanges [[2]].
Transcending Neoliberalism
However, there is hope for a better future. Community-based development initiatives are being implemented in Latin America, which aim to transcend neoliberalism and promote alternative forms of development [[2]]. These initiatives focus on community-led development, social justice, and environmental sustainability.
Conclusion
The resurgence of neoliberalism in Latin America is a threat to science, education, and development. The lack of investment in these areas has led to a brain drain, a decline in scientific progress, and a lack of critical thinking. It is essential to promote alternative forms of development that prioritize social justice, environmental sustainability, and community-led development. Only by transcending neoliberalism can we create a better future for Latin America and the world.
References:
<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com
