Co-Constructing an Open and Collaborative Manifesto to Reclaim the Open Science Narrative

Abstract

The OCSDNet Manifesto is a result of one year of participatory consultations and debates amongst members of the ‘Open and Collaborative Science in Development Network’ (OCSDNet), a network of 12 researchpractitioner teams from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Through research projects grounded in diverse regions and disciplines, OCSDNet members explore the scope of Open Science as a transformative tool for development thinking and practice and offer the ‘Open and Collaborative Science Manifesto’ as a foundation upon which to reclaim the mainstream narrative about what Open Science means and how it can realise a more inclusive science in development. This paper describes the mechanisms used for collaboration and consensus building, and explores the ways in which the process of building this document serves as a case study for the opportunities and limitations of integrating collaboration, opportunities for participation and openness into research activities.