Globalization, democratization and knowledge production

African journals

There was hardly any access to African journals at the Rhodes library. This was surprising for two reasons: 1) Rhodes has a well-resourced library in other respects, and 2) Rhodes has a large contingent of foreign black students (16.5 % of student population), who may want to access African literature that is relevant to their studies. Foreign students expressed their frustration in trying to access scholarship produced in Africa. One student, for example, stated that he had brought along literature from his country (I: Simon). The Rhodes library does not have any arrangements with the libraries of African universities, thus making interlibrary loans between them difficult. The experiences of a foreign PhD student illustrate this point:

When it comes to real research from Africa, I find it very difficult to access. You find little booklets of small case studies that have been done in Nigeria, studies that have been done in Malawi, studies done by the DfID … but landing on a thesis that has been done by somebody from the African continent is so difficult, unless of course you go to the libraries… but trying to borrow (through) interlibrary loans outside of South Africa is impossible. (I: Kabiru)

And,
I went along to the main library and I asked whether they have an arrangement with other universities in Africa, in 1998/1999… They told me, no they don’t have any connections or anything with other African libraries, and I would have to go to the library itself or write the library or something like that. (I: Kabiru)

When asked about whether she had suggested that they subscribe to African Journals Online, her response was: “I haven’t... I suppose I just sort of gave up” (I: Kabiru). One of the reasons for this paucity of African journals may have been that some African universities do not have Internet connections, which would make it difficult for them to have arrangements with Rhodes, given that the Rhodes library is largely digitized (I: Kabiru).

It thus seems that researchers at Rhodes have adequate access to research resources and support from both management and library staff. There are areas that require improvement, though, such as journal access for specific fields of study, for example psychology, medicine, chemistry, research capacity, and in transdisciplinary areas. Formal, structured information literacy and management courses, integrated with course work, may contribute to building research capacity at Rhodes.

5.4.3 Research constraints

According to the participants, one of the main research constraints facing academics was the heavy teaching load and other administrative duties, which consumed the time they would otherwise have devoted to research. One academic shared her view that senior researchers were “dumping” teaching responsibilities on newcomers (I: Dianna). Furthermore, there is little collegiality when it comes to research within departments because everyone is competing for the same funds (ibid.). Yet, as noted, the senior academics do support newcomers through the subsidy funds they generate. More recently, though, some academics have been questioning this system because they believe that they should be entitled to the subsidies they raise from their publications (I: Martha). However, there has been no change to the policy as yet, to accommodate these views.

An academic in the sciences expressed concern about the exorbitant costs of textbooks which make them unaffordable for most students (I: Sidi) According to Sidi, the cost of these books ranged from 600 rands to 1,000 rands. She stated that this was a big issue for teaching and research in any African country. She suggested that pharmaceutical and other related companies be approached to make grants available for the purchasing of books.

5.5 PUBLISHING

Publishing is given a high priority at Rhodes, and academics at all levels are expected to publish widely. In some departments, like linguistics and sociology, more than two to three articles per annum are required to qualify an academic for promotion. A few academics have found the pressure to maintain their NRF research rating onerous (see chapter two), especially since they have had to raise funds by themselves and cope with heavy teaching loads at the same time. A senior academic in linguistics, who published six to seven articles per annum on average, explained that she was content to remain a B-rated researcher on the NRF rating system because the criteria to meet the A-rating were exacting. A newcomer stated that she published four papers per annum (I: Donna). Publishing is not only a matter of prestige and award, but a source of direct funding through subsidies and a criterion for promotions, sabbatical leave and the allocation of library budgets to individual departments (I: De Vos).

Despite the university’s emphasis on publishing, there appears to be little structured guidance and support for postgraduate students or novice researchers to publish their research. It is “quite a lonely experience,” as one young academic put it (I: Dianna).

5.6 NETWORKING AND LINKAGES

As noted in the previous chapter, the networking and linkages have been forged as a result of the initiatives of individual academics rather than by departments or the university. As an old and established university, Rhodes has forged linkages that are consonant with its history and traditions. Accordingly, most of its linkages are with British or other European universities. In more recent years, some linkages have been formed with American universities as well. There are very few linkages with universities in the developing world and, in particular, with African universities on this continent or in the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region. Dianna’s view is that faculty seemed to prefer the international linkages to local ones.

Foreign African students and academics maintained ongoing linkages with colleagues in their home country. They found this to be necessary so that they could remain in contact with the context in which they intended to use their research later (I: Kabiru). One master’s student, for example, explained that he communicated regularly with his mentor and colleagues in Kenya and often sent them progress reports (I: Simon).