News 8 of 176

Related Article: Telling IDRC’s Story IDRC interviewed Muirhead and Harpelle in March 2007. Link to explore: Countries in transition Political, economic, and social change can allow research to inform change. IDRC shares its experience in eight countries.

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Early in 2006, Canadian historians Ron Harpelle of Lakehead University and Bruce Muirhead of the University of Waterloo began work on a book-length intellectual history of IDRC, and on related materials including a website and a documentary film series.

 

As of summer 2008, this ambitious project is moving forward on several fronts.

 

The historians have completed their travel to the regions where IDRC works and have wound up most of their interviews and research. Now they have begun writing the text of their core “output,” which is the book. They expect to complete the manuscript between December 2008 and February 2009. Already they have been negotiating with a major Canadian academic publisher, and are optimistic about launching the title sometime during 2010, in happy coincidence with IDRC’s 40th anniversary. The book will also be published in French and possibly in Spanish.

 

Meanwhile a related project advances even more rapidly. This is the documentary television series on research for development and Canada’s role in it — a subject that obviously will have a heavy focus on IDRC. The historians’ most recent journey, to North and West Africa, was primarily to complete filming for the series, which will be broadcast on TFO (Télé-Française d'Ontario), Ontario’s French-language educational public television network. Before their February 2009 deadline, they and their associates will condense hundreds of hours of film to six one-hour segments, on the same array of themes that are addressed in the book: malaria, water, democratic development, the BRICs phenomenon (the rapid development of Brazil, Russia, India, and China), information and communication technologies, and gender.

 

Another related event is a conference of development practitioners, academics, government officials, and policymakers being held at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) at Waterloo, Ontario, 3-4 September 2008. The theme is “Canada and Research for Development, Past, Present, and Future.” The core presenters are a geographically representative group of 16 researchers, all of whom had been supported at one time or another by IDRC. The panelists will speak to the same six topics that are addressed by the book and the film series. After the conference, many of the researchers will give presentations at universities and other places across Canada. Eventually, papers delivered at the conference will be collected, edited, and published in book form.

 

In late June, the historians took time from their busy schedule to speak with IDRC.

 

Hear Ron, then Bruce, reflect on some of the more memorable people they have met during their research:

 

One challenge for the historians — who are commissioned by IDRC — is to produce an account that is seen to be "balanced," despite the fact that most of their interviewees have expressed very positive views of the organization. Listen again to Ron, then Bruce, respond to this dilemma.

 

News 8 of 176

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