Page 33 - DIVA_1_2008_No.32

From Berbers to Bach!

A Morocco-Bound First Ever:

Conference on the Circulation of Ideas

Alaoui (interview in the last the Internet, allow access to Dr.
Sayegh
Juliette
Academic seminars are
issue of Diva on the Euro- data, surveys, studies and proposed key areas where
generally NOT the kind of Arab Dialogue) is the research that were and still the developing world has
material you write home inspiration for bringing are often inaccessible." some advantages of the
about, nor are they the intellectuals from Science Indeed, rapidly changing developed world--natural
front-page burning news Politiques in Paris, the conditions have impacted medicines, plants and a
people are so eager to read. Université de Nice, the dissemination of kno- knowledge base in areas
However, last Autumn gave Stanford University, and wledge. There are a number that the North has largely
birth to a new species of China, well as excellent of tools that are more tradi- ignored.
symposia. It was the birth researchers in Morocco tional, and still quite useful
of an idea about finding out around the unusual theme such as "Think Tanks," Other participants asked
how ideas circulate. of: "How Ideas Circulate." journals and academic what notable scholarly
journals. journals are inextricably
The November 2007 Driss Alaoui explains, "In linked to the context of the
Symposium was the laun- the knowledge society, the Such was the background knowledge
society,
ching pad for Morocco's flow of ideas in the field of that set the spirit for the particularly in the South?
social science journal social sciences, including Symposium held in Finding no answer to
published by Akhawayn the broad sense of the term, November 2007 in Ifrane at question led to a second
University and Eco-Media is generally abundant and the Akhawayn University question: What efforts are
in Morocco. A conference instantaneous. It serves as (AU!) and cosponsored being made today to
is set later this year in an accelerator of change. with the Moroccan daily establish a South-based
Europe. The South needs such a tool entitled the "Economist": network of organizations
for its development." and publications?
The man behind the bold The first question that
South intellectual initiative Driss elaborates on the jumps to mind is where are By bridging the North and
is former Moroccan minis- concept of "Innovation" the contributions from the the South, the idea is to
ter and professor at a num- which contributes to deci- South to the debates that the promote the dissemination
ber of universities/business sion-making in many deve- many developed countries of ideas and experiences. It
school across France, Italy lopment areas. He notes and North-based "Think is vital to have the review
and across the developing that ... "Technology tools Tanks" focus on? originate in the South with
world. M. Driss M'daghri like information, including quarterly publications that

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