Science in Azerbaijan not keeps pace with new changes: Azerbaijani science official

We must frankly admit that despite great strides in economy, Azerbaijani science had not kept pace with these changes, Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences Institute of Philosophy, Sociology and Human Rights Director, professor Ilham Mammadzade said. He was commenting on a article recently published by prominent Azerbaijani academician Ramiz Mehdiyev.

“Given that we are in the process of socio-cultural modernization, we need some shift in science and new paradigm as the article says. What should be done so that humanities and social sciences will develop new paradigms? This is no simple matter,” he said.

“How we are ready for this? This will show how we develop these paradigms. Where we need to look for mechanisms that would enable to keep pace with time and new challenges facing the state and society? We were indifferent to the fact that science is an international field of action.”

“Our science should keep pace with modern methodologies and research conducted by the largest science centers in the world. We must speak at major international conferences and publish articles in top magazines. This is a point of growth for our science," he said.

“Cooperation with best scientific centers and best scientists of the world will enable our scientists to revise their attitude to what does not allow us to develop science,” he added.

He said one of the main points is that science needs a unified concept. In social sciences it must be a philosophical concept, which will bring together philosophy, sociology, law and history.

“It is called a philosophical and historical concept. It should be developed by historians, sociologists and philosophers. Such joint work in modern philosophy is an interdisciplinary methodology. Here we have a big scope to work.”

“Our social sciences lack contacts with each other which impedes development of interdisciplinary research. In  international science interdisciplinary studies are basis of any action. For example, philosophy can not develop without sociology, but we conduct very little sociological research. For example, law also can not develop without sociology. There is no normal quality work also in the field of sociology and law. The same can be said about the history,” Mammadzade said.

“Articles of our best scientists are printed less in world's major magazines. In our country, scientific magazines exist only to let individuals to defend a thesis while scientific magazine aims to inform the world public about recent achievements of world science or Azerbaijani science in case of Azerbaijan. Magazines should also be an arena for exchange of information by scientists of various countries. Our magazines should publish articles of not only Azerbaijani scientists, but also well-known foreign scientists,” he noted.

Mammadzade said attention to defense of dissertations should also be increased.

A. Imanov
Day.Az