Decolonising and de-Nobelising science, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• India celebrates National Science Day every February 28 to commemorate C.V. Raman’s 1928 discovery of the Raman Effect.
• The article suggests that National Science Day and the Nobel Prize have become keywords that organize India’s public imagination of science.
• The author proposes decolonising science by de-Nobelising the state's understanding of science.
• The article uses three keywords - jugaad, poromboke, and laboratory - to show how recognition works through institutional infrastructures.

Detailed Insights:

• The article critiques the tendency to valorize science based on external prestige, particularly the Nobel Prize, advocating for a broader recognition of diverse scientific actors and sites.
• 'Jugaad' is presented as a term that, while often associated with frugal innovation, can also mask deeper issues of compromise or corruption, influencing how inventiveness is perceived and rewarded.
• 'Poromboke', traditionally referring to land for public use, is now often viewed as wasteland, impacting marginalized communities dependent on these commons and influencing how certain inquiries are valued over others.
• The analysis of 'laboratory' distinguishes between elite mega labs and minor labs, highlighting how everyday diagnostic centers, crucial for society, are often conceptually marginalized despite their importance.
• The author suggests that National Science Day should evolve into a platform for discussing what counts as science, acknowledging the contributions of technicians, field staff, and other essential but often unacknowledged contributors.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Decolonising Science: Challenging and dismantling the historical power structures and biases embedded within scientific practices and institutions.
• Jugaad: A flexible approach to problem-solving that uses limited resources in an innovative way.
• Poromboke: A Tamil term referring to land that is not privately owned and is available for public use.