Linköping studies in arts and science, No. 594, 2013 The Department of Thematic Studies
Technology and Social Change Linköping University 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
www.liu.se
Linköping studies in arts and science, No. 594
2013
Aiding science
Swedish research aid policy 1973–2008
Veronica Brodén Gyberg
Ve
ro
nic
a B
rod
én G
yb
erg
A
id
in
g s
cie
nc
e – S
w
ed
ish r
es
ea
rc
h a
id p
oli
cy 1
9
73
–2
0
08
The purpose of research aid is to contribute to development in different ways through the use of research. Sarec (the Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries) was one of the pioneers within state research aid, and existed between 1975 and 2008. This dissertation studies Sarec’s policy from a historical perspective with the help of official documents and interviews with former directors. One central question concerns how the view of the relationship between research and development has changed over time, and another focuses on which kind of futures are imagined. One of the conclusions is that there are two main policy discourses that are established early on and that can be traced throughout the entire period studied; the universalist and the localist. The two discourses share the starting point that modern science can contribute to development and that national research capacity is an important component in this, but differ on issues like how this capacity is best built, and what kind of development is considered desirable.
Linköping studies in arts and science, No. 594, 2013 The Department of Thematic Studies
Technology and Social Change Linköping University 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
www.liu.se
Linköping studies in arts and science, No. 594
2013
Aiding science
Swedish research aid policy 1973–2008
Veronica Brodén Gyberg
Ve
ro
nic
a B
rod
én G
yb
erg
A
id
in
g s
cie
nc
e – S
w
ed
ish r
es
ea
rc
h a
id p
oli
cy 1
9
73
–2
0
08
The purpose of research aid is to contribute to development in different ways through the use of research. Sarec (the Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries) was one of the pioneers within state research aid, and existed between 1975 and 2008. This dissertation studies Sarec’s policy from a historical perspective with the help of official documents and interviews with former directors. One central question concerns how the view of the relationship between research and development has changed over time, and another focuses on which kind of futures are imagined. One of the conclusions is that there are two main policy discourses that are established early on and that can be traced throughout the entire period studied; the universalist and the localist. The two discourses share the starting point that modern science can contribute to development and that national research capacity is an important component in this, but differ on issues like how this capacity is best built, and what kind of development is considered desirable.
