Science Development And Sovereignty In The Arab World

Zahlan's detailed study examines recent and current performance of Arab countries and their organizations in scientific research in relation to their socio-economic development. It shows that the Arab countries are severely handicapped by a political economy dominated by technological dependence, corruption, and limited research collaboration.

Research for Development in the Middle East and North Africa

Science, Technology, Innovation, and Economic Growth in Arab Countries explores fresh approaches to STI policy formulation and implementation in the region, with applications to developing countries elsewhere. Developing useful contexts for studying Arab policies about science, technology, and innovation requires trustworthy data and judgment. Omar Bizri brings together both in this book. Data from sources such as the World Bank, UNESCO, the International Telecommunication Union, Nature, Science and recent surveys and policy formulation initiatives anchor this study among national initiatives that focus on essential needs, including safe water and food production, renewable energy utilization, and job and enterprise creation. For those eager to understand the challenges of STI capacity building, this book explores the many connections between technological change and economic growth.

A political economy analysis of the history of food security in the Arab world, including the role played by the global food price crisis in the Arab Spring and the Arab response aiming at greater food sovereignty via domestic food production and land acquisition overseas – the so-called land grab.

Science, Technology, Innovation, and Economic Growth in Arab Countries explores fresh approaches to STI policy formulation and implementation in the region, with applications to developing countries elsewhere. Developing useful contexts for studying Arab policies about science, technology, and innovation requires trustworthy data and judgment. Omar Bizri brings together both in this book. Data from sources such as the World Bank, UNESCO, the International Telecommunication Union, Nature, Science and recent surveys and policy formulation initiatives anchor this study among national initiatives that focus on essential needs, including safe water and food production, renewable energy utilization, and job and enterprise creation. For those eager to understand the challenges of STI capacity building, this book explores the many connections between technological change and economic growth. Presents and analyzes data about past, current and proposed efforts aimed at STI capacity building in Arab countries Emphasizes demand-driven policies for promoting rapid infrastructure and endogenous STI capacity building, as well as job creation Explores ways to enhance STI capacity building efforts through community-based and national initiatives Includes data from sources such as the World Bank, UNESCO, the International Telecommunication Union, Nature, Science and recent surveys

Countries aspiring to participate fully in the global knowledge economy require high-quality education and research that leads to innovation, entrepreneurship and development. In spite of the large number of institutions higher education institutions, the Arab World failed to capitalise in research and development. This book will examine the current position of university research and development in the Arab region, note the main themes, their international impact, and propose new directions. Crucially, it will examine the underlying reasons for the underperformance, including specific government research policies, university-appointment and governance processes to stimulate research, funding assessment and allocation processes, resource limitations, and public attitudes. By substantially upgrading the research component of Arab universities along with the quality of education generally, the Arab world will have the vehicle to transition into peaceful, stable, and members of leading global economies. There are opportunities for inter-university cooperation and the establishment of regional university-linked research institutes with specialist facilities.

This book examines the main issues and challenges that science journalism faces in the MENA region while analyzing how journalists in these countries cover science and engage with scientists. Most countries in the Middle East and North Africa region have set an ambitious goal for 2030: to transform their societies and become knowledge economies. This means modernizing institutions and encouraging people to embrace Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as part of their daily lives. This books claims that the main vehicle to achieve this goal is science news reporting, as it continues to be the main platform to disseminate scientific knowledge to the general public. Simultaneously, it is also poorly equipped to achieve this task. Interviewing dozens of journalists, the authors looked at specific areas such as the gender divide and its effects on science news reporting as well as the role of religion and culture in shaping journalism as a political institution. The authors conclude that traditional normative assumptions as to why science reporting does not live up to expectations need to be reviewed in light of other more structural problems such as lack of skills and specialization in science communication in the region. In so doing, the book sets out to understand the past, present and future of science news in one of the most challenging regions in the world for journalists.

The Arab region has become a hotbed of economic growth in recent decades. While this growth has indisputably brought in wealth, there are still countless questions about the characteristics, constraints, and implications of the region's systems of innovation. Do these systems even exist in the Arab region? How does the current economic structure affect regional innovation? Is the presence of natural resources a help or a hindrance? Economic Systems of Innovation in the Arab Region discusses the causes, consequences, and implications of poor systems of innovation in the Middle East and North Africa. By examining the comparative weakness of innovation, the economic structure, and the diversity of the region, Nour shows that the development of Arab regional systems of innovation is contingent upon the development of adequate economic policies and incentives in the area. Her contribution is key for students and scholars of economics, innovation, and international relations.