Colonialization of Science
Political intervention in the case of Dr. Terawan will damage not only the independence of scientific associations, but also medical science itself.
We have been recently astounded by the reaction of politicians and some elements of society to the dismissal of Dr. Terawan Agus Putranto as a member of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI).
They demanded that the IDI cancel his dismissal because Terawan's discovery of the brain washing method was beneficial for their health. They also argued that Terawan had defended his research discovery in front of a medic examination panel at a well-known university and published it in the Bali Medical Journal.
The event marks a new chapter of a steep journey, not only in medical science, but also in other disciplines in Indonesia. Science as part of the nation's progress is now at a tricky crossroads. If this political intervention is left unchecked, the development of medical science and other disciplines will experience a setback, marked by lameness, academic inbreeding and introverts.
Also read:
> Claims of Post-Truth Medical Therapy
> Health Ethics during the Pandemic
The colonization of science, a process of excessive interference by outside powers on universities or scientific associations in Indonesia, will find its most perfect form if this political intervention is successfully imposed. Almost all universities in Indonesia, as forums for knowledge, have long experienced difficulties in developing themselves due to excessive interference from outside powers.
A vigorous scientific community plays an important role in the development of science and technology in a country. Scientific robustness encourages new discoveries through research published in credible scientific journals. Scientific publications will in turn improve the quality of teaching at universities and thus its contributions to public policy. In other words, scientific-based evidence will underlie the quality of university graduates and the state’s public policies.
Science’s ideology, constitution
Communalism, universalism, disinterestedness, organized skepticism (CUDO) is the ideology and constitution of the world of science. New discoveries, no matter how small, are a continuation of a series of previously published research results by other scientists that have been used as references by international scientists.
New discoveries are the work of the academic community (communalism), not the work of individuals. Scientists should not be biased in determining the object and method of research (universalism). Neither should they have political or commercial interests (disinterestedness). And they must consistently develop a critical analysis of what they research (organized skepticism).
Science associations
The CUDO ethics place the scientific community with its proven expertise in the strategic role of supervising the state’s science development. Scientists are the main gatekeepers of the quality of science production.
In almost all countries, they are organized in science associations with the aim to develop sub-disciplines of science to improve the quality of research and scientific publications, teaching and public engagement. As a reminder of what we see in our society, the science associations should not turn into a political arena.
Science associations also play an important role in discussing scientific journals that can serve as references, defining peer-reviewers, discussing research and funding road maps with groups outside the university. Their bargaining position varies in each country.
In Indonesia, almost all science associations, except for the medical science association, have not been able to act as gatekeepers of science and technology.
The Japanese science association, for example, has a high bargaining position so that the state’s penetration can be controlled, especially in setting research budgets (Christensen, 2011). On the other hand, in Singapore, the state has a major but constructive influence in scientific researches. The government uses a meritocratic system by requiring every scientist to publish their scientific work in journals that are used as references by scientists in developed countries.
In Indonesia, almost all science associations, except for the medical science association, have not been able to act as gatekeepers of science and technology. As a result, the development of science and technology has been lagging. Even though it is still relatively weak, the medical science association is relatively better than other science associations.
It holds annual conferences to serve as a forum to discus the state of the sciences. The growth of publications in respected international journals by its members continues to increase and become a reference for other science associations. They may rarely succeed in publishing their scientific works in the world's top journals such as the Lancet, but they agree on the importance of publishing their work in journals that are referenced by international medical experts.
Those scientific journals are not just a journal listed in Scopus or the Scimago journal rank.
It has become a convention that new discoveries in the field of science will only be recognized if they are published in referenced journals because articles that are successfully published in those journals usually have gone through a rigorous peer-review system.
The Indonesian Medical Association was born, and has since long developed, in the country. The state, politicians, academics and scientists need to continuously strengthen the association, including other science associations. Strong science associations are a prerequisite for the advancement of science and technology in a country.
Without science associations, the substance of science and technology development in Indonesia will always depend on the West. Scientists are deprived of self-confidence and are unable to exercise critical thinkings and improve on science from the West. Universities as a place for the development of knowledge end up becoming a means of transferring knowledge from the West, instead of producing knowledge by the lecturers.
In the midst of the proliferation of international journals, the absence of science associations may still see scientists and lecturers publish their scientific works in indexed journals on Scopus, but their published works would not necessarily serve as references for international peers. This kind of publication is certainly not useful for the advancement of science.
A study by Achwan et al. on works and publications by lecturers from the social and political science schools of seven state universities in Indonesia reported in 2020 that the schools published only one to five articles in international reference journals a year during the 2008-2018 period. Other lecturers were mostly only able to publish their articles in other than peer-reference international journals. This kind of knowledge production certainly cannot improve the quality of teaching, research or contribution to society.
In limbo and reticence
Political intervention in the case of Dr. Terawan will damage not only the independence of scientific associations, but also medical science itself. Medical scientists may lack the motivation to publish their works in the world's top journals, feeling complacent that publishing scientific work in mediocre journals would also give them recognition.
The quality of teaching will accordingly experience a decline due to the low quality of their research results. If this political intervention continues to hold its grip, science development in Indonesia will endure stagnation in limbo and reticence.
The Indonesian Military (TNI) commander's recent statement has offered encouragement to the world of science. He said the TNI would accept whatever decision the IDI make regarding Dr. Terawan's future.
Rochman Achwan
Rochman Achwan, Sociologist from the School of Social and Political Sciences, the University of Indonesia
This article was translated by Musthofid.
