Confronting the Pernicious Reality of Racism in Science
Cape Town | The death of George Floyd at the hands of police in the United States set upon a seismographic outcry for social justice globally. The Black Lives Matter movement, which at its core is about subverting white supremacy and racial prejudice, served as a platform for citizen agency and voice. The murder of Floyd, a manifestation of how Black men are stereotyped as threatening, which has grave consequences for interactions with police, is not just one man’s life lost at the hands of an overzealous policeman, but a wakeup call to address deeply rooted prejudices against ‘blackness’.
Despite the severity and dangers of the Covid-19 epidemic widespread protests took place in the United States, UK, Australia, Germany, and France. Many voiced the importance of protesting racism during an epidemic to highlight the deep inequalities that exist due to structural racism and its effects on people’s health. Those at the most risk of dying due to institutional racism are also those who are most at risk of Covid-19.
It is serendipitous that the first Black President of the SAMRC, Professor Malegapuru William Makgoba, a leading South African Immunologist and public health advocate, penned an editorial in Science titled: Black Scientists Matter. “The editorial is without the niceties, so often seen in the discussions around racism in science. Makgoba does not mince his words, and we should be cognizant of this” says Professor Glenda Gray, current President and CEO of the SAMRC.
“It’s a great honour to be given the opportunity and platform by Science to reflect on such an important topical global issue. That one can hardly name, count or remember the total number of prominent African scientists in one hand, is a dreadful indictment we must confront. As we approach the 4th Industrial Revolution, a Revolution based on science and technological advances, we as a nation enter at a great disadvantage,” said Makgoba.
“Our problem is not with government, but with our schooling and tertiary education systems and our science and innovation system. All three continue post-apartheid to suffer the legacy of structural and institutionalized racism. The challenge for us now is to correct this legacy through meaningful and measurable programmes in order to transform our society for the better and live up to the imperatives of our Constitution and the National Development Plan,” added Makgoba.
“There is a need to address racism in science, but can we transform Science Councils and Research Institutions in South Africa?” poses Gray.
In the editorial Makgoba emphasises the covert subtle forms of structural and institutionalised racism that are entrenched in our institutions and discusses the lack of representation and value of Black scientists, likening them to “aliens” of the scientific enterprise. Of course, our scientific enterprise is in denial about the inherent racism and discrimination evident in institutions, even in South Africa.
‘We see differences in the way young people are encouraged (or discouraged) to pursue scientific careers, the lack of role models, not having access to meaningful career guidance and mentorship, and not being plugged into influential career networks. Consequently, even the best and brightest can fail to be recognized and admitted into top scientific programs.’
The paucity of Black scientists in leadership positions, on editorial boards, and as authors is deafening. ‘Racism in science has a long history throughout the world and manifests largely through systems of evaluation, recognition, funding, and promotion. The scientific community can postpone confronting this pernicious reality, but it cannot stop the train of change - it has left the station. For equality in the global scientific enterprise to be addressed, meaningful change should start in the Western world’s scientific system, (where a new world), a new environment must be created in which not only Black scientists but all scientists can thrive - one that values human dignity, equity, and social justice,’ says Makgoba in the editorial.
To address these pertinent issues, the SAMRC working with the National Department of Health and the Department of Science and Innovation is committed to funding and conducting research that changes the lives of South Africans. As part of our key objectives, the SAMRC has focused on addressing both past inequalities in health and the lack of investment in Black Scientists.
Transformation in science, by supporting diversity in science is imperative in addressing the inequity in health access and the lack of transformation in science in South Africa.
We have purposefully focused our funding to address the lack of Black and women scientists in health sciences. We have significantly increased the number of Masters and Doctoral students supported through our programmes. The development of a cohort of interns and clinicians is a critical endevour and includes the Bongani Mayosi National Health Scholars Programme (BM-NHSP). This collaboration between the National Department of Health, the Public Health Enhancement Fund and the SAMRC has been catalytic in driving a PhD science programme in various health professions.
The SAMRC has also focused on redressing historical inequalities and has funded previously under resourced universities. By re-orientating our Self-Initiated Research (SIR) grants programme we have significantly increased our funding to African Black scientists and women.
We introduced a Deputy Director Programme within the SAMRC to progress female scientists into management positions and to give effect to a strategic succession plan. This aspect of the Transformation plan is aimed at offering leadership development training and opportunities for senior scientists within the SAMRC to develop leadership skills.
Our Intramural Research Units have introduced and implemented various activities to inspire the agency for a transformative agenda within the units. These interventions range from transformation/diversity committees to workshops and student mentorship programmes.
The SAMRC has transformed grant funding initiatives that have significantly improved funding for young scientists, African Black scientists and women.
“The greatest threat confronting the South African science fraternity is not only skewed racial diversity of the current researchers, but also gender parity,” said Professor Jeffrey Mphahlele, SAMRC’s Vice President for Research. It is for this reason that in 2018 the SAMRC devoted a Request For Applications to women researches which resulted in an increase of women-led Unit Directors from four to ten in a quest to address equity and gender imbalance in the leadership of Extramural Research Units across universities. The SAMRC is committed to promoting women-led research and ensuring that women that enter science stay in science, explains Mphahlele.
Transformation of any kind, in science or a broader context, is about the lived experience of people. “My journey and career progression at the SAMRC extends over 23 years, first as a researcher, from Research to Supply Chain Management then to Executive Management. While at the SAMRC I completed both an MBA and PhD as the SAMRC provided an enabling environment for such development,” said Dr Mongezi Mdhluli, SAMRC’s Chief Research Operations Officer. Understanding the issues of race in the workplace will enable the SAMRC to transform its intramural research programme, concluded Mdhluli.
The SAMRC welcomes the editorial by Makgoba and commends his unwavering boldness, a reminder that transformation is a continuum and collective effort is needed to build South Africa’s long-term sustainability of health research.
NOTE TO THE EDITOR:
The SAMRC is dedicated to improving the health of the people in South Africa, through research, innovation, development and technology transfer. The scope of research includes laboratory investigations, clinical research, and public health studies.
The SAMRC Division of Research Capacity Development supports the growth of health research capacity by offering scholarships and grants to South African citizens who are pursuing their research careers in medical and health sciences.
The full editorial can be accessed here: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6506/884.full