The discontent behind recent protests in Egypt carries lessons for how both science and journalism are handled across the Arab world. For most Egyptians protesting vociferously — and ultimately successfully — in Cairo's Tahrir Square and elsewhere over the past two weeks, the state of the nation's science will have been far from the top of their complaints. Nevertheless, researchers are reported to have been prominent among the protesters. This shows that their professional frustrations with the policies of their government towards science and technology (S&T) resonate with the passionate concerns of many other Egyptians about how their country is being run. Frustrations among scientists in Egypt have been bubbling below the surface for many years. Some have focused on the lack of adequate support for high-class research in the country, where low academic salaries have forced many scientists to either dilute their energies by taking second jobs, or to join the brain drain.
The discontent behind recent protests in Egypt carries lessons for how both science and journalism are handled across the Arab world.
For most Egyptians protesting vociferously — and ultimately successfully — in Cairo's Tahrir Square and elsewhere over the past two weeks, the state of the nation's science will have been far from the top of their complaints.
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Nevertheless, researchers are reported to have been prominent among the protesters. This shows that their professional frustrations with the policies of their government towards science and technology (S&T) resonate with the passionate concerns of many other Egyptians about how their country is being run.
Frustrations among scientists in Egypt have been bubbling below the surface for many years. Some have focused on the lack of adequate support for high-class research in the country, where low academic salaries have forced many scientists to either dilute their energies by taking second jobs, or to join the brain drain.
Other pressures have broader implications. The failure to establish strong links between university research and private industry, for example, has created a culture where technological innovation is unable to flourish. This is widely regarded as one reason for the shortage of jobs for young people — including qualified graduates.
Anger at the high level of youth unemployment has certainly fueled the current wave of protests. And behind all this has been continuing dismay at the crippling effect of a powerful — and at times corrupt — government bureaucracy that deflects time, energy and resources away from productive activities.
Last year, the UN Education and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) released a report, 'UNESCO Science Yearbook 2010', which pointed out that such problems are not unique to Egypt, but are shared by many countries in the Arab world.
Photo shows protesters in Tahrir Square, Egypt Credit: Flickr/ Floris Van Cauwelaert
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