Abstract
International Research Collaboration (IRC) is one of the main drivers of knowledge production worldwide. This chapter provides examples of IRC from two Colombian research networks tied respectively to one public and one private university. Based on a qualitative Social Network Analysis (SNA) approach within the field of comparative and international education, this study examines the configurations of these research networks and their embedded diaspora associations to reveal the relational dynamics of their interconnections, activities, and other factors that come together in the IRC process. This qualitative network approach allows for exploration of the more complex scenario of the knowledge flows, sharing, and production involved in IRC, which goes beyond the traditional counting of co-publications and provides a richer documentation of IRC experiences.
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- 1.
The term post-foundational includes post-modern, post-structural, and post-colonial thinking in comparative and international education (Ninnes and Mehta 2004). It breaks down the assumption of universal knowledge from the modern era, the Enlightenment, associated to positivist thought. It entails a pluralistic view to understanding social phenomenon , knowledge, and ways of knowing.
- 2.
Spatial thinking draws upon concepts and theories associated with the “spatial turn” (Robertson 2010; Warf and Arias 2009). It shifts the notion of space not only as an object but also as a social phenomenon constructed by interrelations (Harvey 2006; Lefebvre 1991; Massey 2005; Soja 1996). Space is an open, complex system made by different flows and networks (Appadurai 1990; Castells and Cardoso 2005).
- 3.
Research networks and their members (nodes) are marked with distinct codes: CO—Colombia; Pub—Public University; Pri—Private university; Res—Research; Net—Network; Int—International; Off—Office; Vic—Vice; Fac—Faculty; Postdoc—Post-doctoral scholar; Prof—Professor. Number indicates the sequence number, for example, Prof1, Prof2.
- 4.
Direct quotes from interviews reflect the node’s code. Numbers indicate a recording number, for example, COPubProf1-002.
- 5.
The Journal Citation Reports by Thomson Reuters provides rankings of science and social science journals every year according to the Impact Factor (IF) data registered in ISI and Scopus. Rankings are categorized by Quartile Scores: Q1 represents the top 25% of the IF distribution, Q2 for middle-high position (between top 50% and top 25%), Q3 middle-low position (top 75% to top 50%), and Q4 the lowest position (bottom 25% of the IF distribution) (retrieved from Research Assessment, http://researchassessment.fbk.eu/quartile_score).
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Tascón, C.I. (2018). International Research Collaboration and Knowledge Production in Colombia: A Qualitative Network Analysis Approach. In: Gregorutti, G., Svenson, N. (eds) North-South University Research Partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean. International and Development Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75364-5_5
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