The Political Uses of Astronomy

Details The Political Uses of Astronomy The Political Uses of Astronomy

Jul 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007afrsk..11...33g&link_type=abstract

African Sky, Vol. 11, p.33

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

In its first twelve years of rule the African National Congress (ANC) Government spent more on astronomy than all governments combined between 1910-1993. Three factors drove this unexpected development: (a) national prestige; (b) dignity of the continent of Africa; and (c) Black dignity. Both astronomy and astronautics project an image of modernity - the cutting edge of high technology. When the Government supports initiatives such as SALT, SKA, the proposed national space agency, and microsats, it does so because it perceives these as having a political importance far beyond their intrinsic importance to astronomy. These project "soft power" - an image of modernity to foreign powers and foreign investors - which contribute to their intangible perceptions of South Africa. Astronomers need to encourage this trend by both greatly increasing public outreach programmes and by making representations to the media, Parliament, and other public authorities, on issues such as light pollution.

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