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The purpose of this paper is to raise some issues relating\nto the general state and organisation of social science research\non development in Africa, The main centres of social science\nresearch are the university departments, research institutes and\ngovernment ministries. There is a brief discussion of the strengths\nand weaknesses of these centres. This is followed by a discussion\nof the structural arrangements and disciplinary and area\nspecialisation of research institutes in Africa. Among the main\nproblem areas which have engaged the attention of social scientists\nin recent years are rural, development, education, industrialisation,\nregional, integration, employment, migration and population. The\nneglected areas include international economic problems, relationship\nbetween patterns of development and distribution of economic welfare\nand decision-making processes in the public sector. It is further\nargued that the dominant methodology in development research suffers\nfrom some, important weaknesses. There is then a discussion of the\nimpact of research on. policy and some proposals are made for a more\neffective utilisation of research findings.\nStaff development is identified as the single most important\nneed of research institutes in Africa, This leads to a discussion\nof the role of external research communities and agencies in\nstrengthening African research institutes. The final section of the\npaper attempts to illustrate some of the general points made in the\nearlier discussion by reference to the rural, development research\nconducted in recent years at the Institute for Development Studies,\nUniversity of Nairobi.
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