[FSUG-Bangalore] [OT] Open Content and Research

[Vikram Vincent]

Hi,

As part of a three month long research workshops at Christ University we had
a session today on the 'historical perspective of research' led by Prof. Dr.
Sundar Sarukkai of NIAS.

*Brief Profile*: Prof. Dr. Sundar Sarukkai is presently Professor and Dean,
School of Humanities, and Head, Centre for Philosophy, at the National
Institute of Advanced Studies. He is the author of the following books:
Translating the World: Science and Language; Philosophy of Symmetry and
Indian Philosophy and Philosophy of Science.

Some of the important points discussed which are useful in the context of
Free Software, open content and research are:
The concepts of `authorship' and `originality' of literature, art etc in the
Indian context and the evolution of knowledge in an open system.
The role of politics in knowledge creation.
Current research is not focused on local/indigenous needs of the country but
rather for US and European interests.
Indian researchers are knowledge consumers and not knowledge producers (in
the above context).
This is partly because of the pressure by the foreign journals which are
highly selective in their paper publications and the lack of local research
journals in the various academic streams.
There was also some points on the free and democratic access of knowledge
and how the high cost of foreign journals of repute prevent dissemination of
knowledge.
The role of patents in this process of research will be taken up in depth in
future sessions.

Those interested in attending can contact me off-list.
-- 
Vikram Vincent
+919448810822
http://swatantra.org/
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