This is happening in Norway right now. The research community feels betrayed to be used as political tool when science is what fought Covid and is the only way to act on climate change
This is happening in Norway right now. The research community feels betrayed to be used as political tool when science is what fought Covid and is the only way to act on climate change
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Science is the only way that we manage to spread Covid around the world, and the only way we mange to cause global warming in the first place. Still: Science is great!
The article does very little to explain what exactly has changed while seemingly focusing on using fear mongering phrases like “set the Norwegian research world on fire”.
I’d like to know more about this topic but the article is an opinion piece at best.
There are 2 problems. One is that the previous government made significant changes that the other parties didn’t like, and the other was there was a persistent budget surplus that they were under pressure to spend (i.e. use it or lose it), which led to some spending that some others saw as profligate.
This article explains part of it. It does seem a bit extreme. From that perspective, it is certainly political. Betrayal? I think it to be seen.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/norway-fires-research-council-board-after-overspending-claims
Fighting climate change is just money laundering. People do not need to fight climate change, they need to adapt to it.
Three things to note on this issue (my qualified opinion):
1. The minister for higher education and research did not really want that post. His heart isnt in it, he is the only minister in current government who does not really fight for the field he is responsible for.
2. The minister truly believes research is a «swamp» that needs to be «drained». His attitudes towards this (and other issues) is quite «trumpist».
3. The ministers party (SP) is anti-internationalist, anti-EU. Their view on govenment funded research is that the findings should be «useful» in Norway, preferrabely something related to oil/gas, farming, food industry or forestry. Research not deemed as «useful» is not worth fighting for. Research in EU Horizon is a waste of public funds.
The thinking «I dont understand the value of this, lets close it down» is damaging and dangerous.
As a Norwegian neuroscientist who wants to come back to find work in my own country, this sucks.
Neo-liberalism. Sad fucking shit. Has to be stopped before it ends us all.
What is going on here is what I’ve been speculating on since I got here. There are some deep investigations that need to go on within the government. Mainly in the financial aspects- how they use/misuse money.