Ugandan scientists, Scandinavian collaborations, and the cultural economy of science

Abstract

Money and cultural economies of science are imbued with multiple meanings for actors involved in international scientific research and research training collaborations in Uganda. This article uses economic anthropology to explore some of the tensions and misunderstandings that arise from Ugandan- Scandinavian partnerships in science. Using ethnographic examples drawn from the experiences of Ugandan scientists and their Scandinavian counterparts, the article describes how the positions and actions of Ugandan scientists produce different, and at times contradictory meanings, for themselves, their kin, local colleagues, and Scandinavian counterparts. Compassion for a grieving sibling, a gift to a charity fundraiser, the extraction of personal savings from an international research project, and the strategic construction of a countryside home are just a few examples of actions and relations that shape actors’ understandings of Ugandan-Scandinavian scientific collaborations. The article finds that pre-existing tensions in scientific collaborations resulting from dependency upon foreign donors for research and research training funding are further exacerbated by foreign actors’ partial understandings of the meanings and moralities of scientific work in Uganda. The article concludes that greater recognition of the patterns of cultural economy that make money and labor in science meaningful are necessary for mitigating mistrust and misunderstanding across South-North scientific collaborations.