Sci&Tech History

Preparing a country report about how science and technology can reduce poverty make me wonder: where are Indonesian thoughts? I read a lot of documents about Indonesia, but most of them is written by non-Indonesian. I don’t know whether my references was influenced by the term of country report–effected the international standard asked–or is it because Indonesian people never evaluate them self? To understand Bali tradition or Islam Java, we read Geertz, Aceh: Hurgronje, economic, health and education number we read WB or ADB report, university performance: Periskop conducted by Fraunhofer Germany. There are some exception such as Kuntowijoyo, Mochtar Lubis, or maybe Amien Rais, but how they thought influence my study is still very rare.

Am I become a non-Indonesian? I don’t know. What is an Indonesian anyway? Could anyone said that I am not an Indonesian because I don’t have any specific race flow in my blood? Or because I am not wearing batik? Or even because I prefer to take a referee from foreign report? If those points are the parameter then maybe I am not. Else, maybe nationalism has nothing to do with those formal remark.

As my colleague ever told me, we adopt technology directly without even know why it should be used. For instance, the technology that he brought after finished his study from abroad. Totally sophisticated, but then what? Does adopter really need the technology or is it for producer sake so they can get a new market?

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