Academic -> Mindset, Culture and Values
The Academic Pillar concerns a critical and thorough understanding of social, cultural, political, religious, moral and economic realities of a given society through conducting problem-solving research projects.
SOPHOS AFRICA seeks to establish a research Think Tank made up of academics and professionals in order to gather, analyse and generate data, evidence and ideas. The Think Tank will commission research activities into various thematic areas towards gaining a comprehensive understanding of a particular issue. While the research activities will focus mainly on areas related to our strategic pillars, namely corruption, ethnocentrism, religious extremism, and poverty, in the long term other thematic issues will be included in the research.
The research will be conducted with social-scientific, anthropological, cultural and theological foci. The research will seek to address questions relating to, for example, the mindset behind corruption, contributing factors to corruption, the culture and values within which corruption sustains itself, and obstacles to address corruption. It will also seek to provide a helpful and constructive understanding and explanation of issues relating to ethnicity and identity from sociological, anthropological and theological perspectives.
The research will also provide some pointers in terms of the ways in which mechanisms to dislodge a culture of corruption can be developed and a culture of fairness and ethical stewardship can be nurtured and institutionalised. The Think Tank will also facilitate open and honest dialogues and discussions relating to identities (ethnic, racial, national and religious), self-determination, shared values, and national sovereignty will take place. Sustainable methods and mechanisms to influence constitutional provisions and public policy in these areas will be developed. The same approach would be taken in terms of religion, economics and other matters.
