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Project

Strengthening knowledge ecosystems for safe and inclusive development in fragile contexts
 

Afghanistan
Laos
South Sudan
Project ID
109356
Total Funding
CAD 375,000.00
IDRC Officer
Edgard Rodriguez
Project Status
Completed
End Date
Duration
18 months

Lead institution(s)

Project leader:
Ursina Bentele
Switzerland

Summary

Estimates predict that by 2030, 80% of the world’s poor will be living in fragile contexts (OECD, 2018). Funders are increasingly expanding investment to these insecure environments to respond to this trend.Read more

Estimates predict that by 2030, 80% of the world’s poor will be living in fragile contexts (OECD, 2018). Funders are increasingly expanding investment to these insecure environments to respond to this trend. Given the challenges of carrying out research in such settings, where high levels of risk are combined with limited capacity of states, systems, and communities to respond, there is a tendency for research to be disconnected from contextual realities. This results in top-down approaches that are often driven from the Global North by funders and other external actors less attuned to social, economic, and political dynamics on the ground.

The opportunities for research to inform policy for safe and inclusive development in these contexts depends upon the ability of researchers to carry out robust, contextually-grounded, and high-quality research. This project seeks to identify good practices for supporting research and researchers in contexts of political fragility. It responds to the need by assessing mechanisms and modalities for supporting localized research agendas, processes, and networks in a way that builds the resilience of local actors and works to build, over the long-term, strong national systems for research and innovation. The project adopts an ecosystem approach, considering all actors and systems involved in the research-to-policy process.

Research outputs

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Study
Language:

English

Summary

This case study highlights the importance of enabling research actors to undertake needs-based research that responds to the current challenges Lebanon is facing. In the midst of a dire financial crisis the country is highly polarised, hampering academic freedom where evidence-based discussions are viewed with suspicion. The crisis has impacted research funding, and the capabilities of researchers to steer socially relevant agenda. The study emphasises the centrality of policy dialogue across political divides as a pre-condition to policy uptake and implementation. It proposes actionable recommendations to the donor community on how to support research-informed policymaking in Lebanon.

Author(s)
Swisspeace
Study
Language:

English

Summary

Côte d’Ivoire is emerging from 20 years of politico-military conflict preceded by economic crises and structural adjustment programs, which have heavily impacted its research ecosystem. Obstacles to research capacity include a lack of infrastructure and equipment, difficulties in accessing data, and insufficient national and international funding. Although universities are being built, the quality of teaching, master’s theses and doctoral theses is deteriorating. Faced with the strategy of ‘containment’ from political and state actors, other sources of legitimacy have been sought, with a shift to international actors’ support, driven by the idea of strengthening democratic processes and improving governance.

Author(s)
Fatogoma, Adou Djané Dit
Study
Language:

English

Summary

This study looks at knowledge ecosystems as a whole, covering the full process of knowledge production from agenda setting, funding, and selecting partners, to conducting research (choice of methodology and research design, data collection and analysis, publication), including outreach and policy uptake. Data collection and recommendations for this Annex focus almost exclusively on social sciences research in a Cambodian context seen through ‘Cambodian eyes’. It aims to contribute to improved and relevant research, academic careers and policy uptake within an existing authoritarian system. Increased numbers of Cambodian students have received competitive scholarships for post/graduate programs abroad and returned to Cambodia.

Author(s)
Bernath, Julie
Study
Language:

English

Summary

The Salvadorian research and knowledge production ecosystem is characterized by a lack of public funding and therefore, a prevalence of private actors and funding sources. The study aims to promote resilient, locally-driven research ecosystems, support the research community to conduct conflict sensitive research, and to improve opportunities and security of research partners in the Global South. The project ‘strengthening knowledge ecosystems’ is part of IDRC’s endeavour to strengthen the contribution of research support in ’high-risk’ contexts. Data collection and recommendation generation for this Annex focus almost exclusively on the El Salvador context seen through ‘Salvadorian eyes’.

Author(s)
Josi, Claudia
Study
Language:

English

Summary

This Afghanistan Case Study Report makes recommendations to support research systems and to strengthen the interface between knowledge, policy, and citizens, aiming to contribute to a resilient Afghan knowledge ecosystem. The recommendations focus on challenges that have emerged since the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban (2021). Lessons can be drawn from Afghanistan for other fragile contexts. Many Afghan researchers are part of a growing diaspora. Hence, engaging and integrating Afghan researchers with technical, methodological, and analytical skills into research-related organisations and exchange programmes abroad should be a priority. Domestic government counterparts are likely to exert much greater control on any research activity.

Author(s)
Miszak, Nick
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