IK Monitor Focus

Focus

The Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor serves everyone around the world who has an interest in the role that indigenous knowledge (local knowledge, traditional knowledge) plays in participatory approaches to sustainable development. It provides:

an instrument for the exchange of information;
a platform for debate on the concept of indigenous knowledge in a variety of disciplines;
an overview of activities in the field of indigenous knowledge and sustainable development.

The Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor has two sections: Articles and Communications. The articles reflect the state of the art of indigenous knowledge (IK) in various policy sectors and disciplines by presenting information on:

research: studies of indigenous knowledge systems, research methodology, research needs, research results, cooperation in research, and organizational aspects of research;
theory and practice: the interface of indigenous knowledge and scientific knowledge, and the use of research results in the preparation and implementation of development projects;
policy: indigenous knowledge as an area of interest and a policy instrument for donors, international organizations, governments, NGOs and development organizations.

The section Communications is divided into sub-sections: Resource Centres, Calls (for information and cooperation, papers, and research proposals), Databases, Networks, Films and Audio-Visual Devices, Conferences (coming and past), Research, and Publications. The major function of this section is to disseminate information, to inform a broader public about various local initiatives and activities, and to stimulate national and international cooperation.

The editorial board of the Monitor is responsible for editorial policy. The editor is responsible for producing the Monitor in accordance with the policies of the editorial board and Nuffic-CIRAN.

IK Network Nuffic-CIRAN produces the Monitor in close cooperation with 32 indigenous knowledge resource centres around the world. Corresponding editors have an institutional base in the various IK resource centres. Associate corresponding editors are similarly affiliated with organizations that are active in the field of indigenous knowledge. Thanks to this network, the Monitor can keep its readers informed about the latest relevant developments. The network also serves as a means by which people who share an interest in IK as it relates to sustainable development can come into contact with each other.

Frequency and circulation The first appeared in February 1993. The Monitor is sent to more than 3000 addresses in 131 countries. Readers living and/or working in the South receive their copies free of charge thanks to funds provided by Nuffic and the Directorate-General for International Cooperation of the Netherlands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Guus W. von Liebenstein Director CIRAN
Anna van Marrewijk Editor IK&DM
Other Nuffic-CIRAN services for the IK Network are offered via the Internet:

All back issues of the Monitor are available on the World Wide Web site
IK pages: a gateway to indigenous knowledge on the Internet. Access to information about IK is possible in various ways: by browsing through the most relevant information on the Internet, for example, and by making full-text searches by theme and country.
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Suggestions to: ikdm@nuffic.nl
(c) copyright Nuffic-CIRAN and contributors 1996.