Message-ID: <960317120457_448493881@emout10.mail.aol.com> Date: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 12:04:58 -0500 From: Guy-Maurille Massamba <mailto:GuyRille@AOL.COM> Subject: Enhancing technological capabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Dear list members:I am doing a research on the possibilities of enhancing technological capabilities in the region of Sub-Saharan Africa, and on the challenges that the region has to meet on the way to establishing those technological capabilites. I have had some discussions or debates on the questions with some people with similar interests. I would like to propose the discussion to the list and lay out here some of the aspects of my thoughts. I would like anyone interested in the topic to react, and I hope the discussion will be a healthy one for the list and a helpful one for the region which we are concerned with.
I have come to think that one of the important dimensions of technology transfer to Sub-Saharan Africa is the necessity of cultural adjustment. And Sub-Saharan African countries have to meet this challenge. This implies that Sub-Saharan African societies have to strike out those elements of their cultures which constitute an impediment to the alignment of their economies with the global economy transformed by international technology. Obviously, this stand has met some strong critical reactions from the most traditionalists or, should I say, from cultural conservatives.
There is a choice to be made and African societies and their leaders have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a technological culture. It is important that the cultural conservatives note that cultures are dynamic and cultural elements have a functionality on the basis of which they are adequate and useful to the needs of people. The significance of a cultural element lies in its ability to be integrated into the human quest or into the development of human life. When a cultural element does not meet this condition, its existence can be questioned. Moreover, cultures have the capacity to digest and incorporate new cultural elements. Technology can be seen as a cultural element which Sub-Saharan African societies can integrate and adapt. This last point is crucial since it refers to an active incorporation of technology and participation in the creation of appropriate technologies.
The fear of cultural conservatives is perhaps the possibility of being overwhelmed (or dominated ?) by the penetration of new cultural elements. However, their fear denies Sub-Saharan African societies the creativity inherent in every culture. We all know that the passive implementation of development projects from abroad has been detrimental to the long-term development of societies. It only served to respond to immediate needs and did not give incentives to human and social creativity. It created a mentality of being continually assisted. The long-term perspective requires a vision of a dynamic interaction between Sub-Saharan African cultures and the fast-moving and ever-changing global economy which is so influenced by modern technology.
Cultural conservatives also fear that cultural transformation will lead to a loss of identity for Sub-Saharan African societies. My answer to this fear is that we should not take identity as a given. Social, cultural or even individual identity are always created through the interaction with the outside world. Identity is not innate. Sometimes, identity is the result of the perception of one's interests which condition one's growth or development. Identity also reflects one's place in the world which one lives in. Furthermore, identity is also what one chooses to be. In philosophical terms, identity is the assumption of one's responsibility of being oneself while at the same time being a part of a family, society and the world. To put this into the technological-cultural perspective, I say that cultural identity in today's world reflects the way societies view themselves and participate in the context of the global economy and politics. Are they to remain marginalized or will they actively endorse the logic of the global economy and mark it with their active participation by contributing, for instance, to global industrial production ? Marginalization reflects a passive presence in the world. It is also the result of a lost and unrecognized identity. The enhancement of technological capabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa could create the possibilities of a more active participation in the changing global economy and politics.
That's all for now. Waiting for your reactions. Guy-Maurille Massamba