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CHAPTERI.INNOVATIONSANDTECHNOLOGICALADVANCES…
policy,requiresnotonlyaprospectivebutalsoaretrospectiveapproach.Colonialism
vanishedjustabouthalfacenturyago.Thatiswhysomeauthorsusethetermapostco-
lonialglobalizingworld(Harding,2011),reflectingthatnotonlydidWesternscientists
exploitnon-Westernersbutalsothattheimperialpowersgenerallytreatedscience(and
technology)asameansofdominationanddependence.Postcolonialtransformationsare
oftenconsideredasinadequate.Scientificandtechnologicalinstitutionsandpracticesstill
discriminateagainstthenon-Westernworldbybeingratherinsensitivetothenon-Western
scientificworld;moreover,someneocolonialpracticesexistandbraindrainisinprogress.
Sodemandingfromthelessadvancedcountries(morethanahalfofthehumanpopulation)
theirparticipationinadrivetosustainabilityneedsnotonlyfinancesandinnovationsbut
alsonewthinking.Non-Westernpracticesandknowledge,alsolocalandindigenous,may
bequiteenrichingforachievingsustainabilityonalocallevelandinrelationwiththe
technologicallyadvancedworld.
Therearesomerecommendationsforthepresentscienceandtechnologypolicies
inlessadvancedcountries.Theyarearticulatedinthetwoabovequotedmanifestos(http://
www.set-dev.eu/)concerningIndiaandAfrica.Theirpoliciesshouldfocusmoreondevel-
opingtheirownscienceandtechnologythatbestservesIndianandAfricanagendas,not
necessarilyfollowingtheglobalNorthandWestwhichhaveratherdiferentresearchhis-
tories,possibilities,andgoals.ItisworthwhiletorecallE.F.Schumacher,withhisdeep
understandingoftechnologicaldiferences,whopostulatedsocalledintermediateandthen
appropriatetechnology(Gamser,1988).TheWesternmainstreamwasnotreceptivetosuch
novelties,nonethelessSchumacherandthenhissontriedtoproducesuchtechnologies
andinstalltheminLDCsalmosthalfacenturyago.Itseemspracticalandfruitfulinthe
longtermtosetjointscientificandtechnologicalcentrestoeducateandpreparenewelites
(alsoWestern)toappreciateunderstandingdiferencesandcommonchallengesinrealizing
sustainabilitygoals.
Sustainabilitycanalsobetreatedasawholehumanityproject,whichneedsmassive
engagement,negotiations,cooperativesolutions,andjointactions.Thisunprecedented
challenge,unknowninhistory,requirestwodevelopments:awomen’srevolutionand
democratization.Thefirstmeansanintroductionofmorethanahalfofthehumanpop-
ulation(i.e.women)intoprocessesofdevelopmentandsustainabilitybuilding.Itwill
generatecosts,investment,andworkplaces(ICTscanhelptoorganizemorepossibilities
ofdistantlearningandworking),butadvantagesmayhopefullybeimmense.However,
suchanundertakingisbasicallyconnectedwithagreatculturaltransformationofpatriar-
challyformedsocieties.Suchaculturalinnovationwillhaveaninclusivepowerinevery
partoftheworld.Thedifusionofthisinnovation(beguninthe19thcentury)hasapro-
cessualcharacterthatisgradualthoughfundamental.Wouldmalereligious,political,and
businessleaders,allmeninpower,giveuptheirdominatingposition?Inanycase,itwould
bealongtermprocessofchange.
Democratizationisapoliticalinnovationwellknownforages,howeverpractised
inlessthanhalfoftheplanet.Democracy,especiallyparticipatory,meanssharingthe
power(incontrasttoanelectoratedemocracythatgivespowertorepresentativeswho
theoreticallyrepresentsociety)andassumesinformation,transparency,deliberation,nego-
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