Moscow: Ekon-Inform Publishing House, 2014, 287 p.

In 2012, the Malagasy National Academy celebrated its 50th anniversary as the first academy of sciences on the African continent. A peer-reviewed almanac written jointly by Russian and Malagasy scientists is dedicated to this significant event. Nine Russian and five Malagasy authors took part in its preparation. They explored little-known pages in the history of the Malagasy National Academy since its inception and presented a gallery of 25 of its presidents and members from different periods who have made the most significant contributions to both Malagasy and world science.

The structure of the almanac fully meets the tasks set by the compilers. It consists of an introductory part (authors A. Davidson, L. Kartashova and A. Kozvonin), a biographical part, which gives the personalities and scientific characteristics of 25 academicians of the Malagasy Academy and its presidents, a section on the academy's centers and applications.

Vladilen Ivanovich GUSAROV-Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Leading Researcher at the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences, vladilen.gusarov@yandex.ru.

page 203
In the introductory part, a section on the history of the Academy prepared by L. Kartashova is highlighted, which allows the reader to trace the entire path of the academy's formation and development over the 110 years of its existence from the beginning of the XX century to the present day. In particular, the author notes that the Academy, whose full name is "National Academy of Arts, Humanities and Natural Sciences", was founded on January 23, 1902 by decree of J. S. Gallieni, then Governor-General of Madagascar.

Initially, members of the Academy were appointed by the Governor's office and were European architects, doctors, teachers, missionaries dedicated to the study of languages, folklore, ethnography and history of Madagascar. The number of academy members was also determined. It consisted of 12 full members, 30 associate members and an unlimited number of corresponding members. In contrast, the Malagasy Academy, modeled on the French one, was multi-disciplinary.

By decree of March 15, 1912, the Academy was reorganized. Research in paleontology, geology, and biology has expanded. The title of Honorary member of the Academy was established. In 1925, the Tsymbazaza Botanical and Zoological Garden was created at the Academy-a kind of museum of wildlife, which contains endemic species of flora and fauna of Madagascar.

In 1952, the Academy celebrated its half-century anniversary with a special issue of Izvestia of the Malagasy Academy with publications by academicians and a bibliography of articles about the Academy. In 1958, the Malagasy Paul Radodi-Ralarusi, a well-known scholar and writer, became president of the Academy for the first time.

After Madagascar achieved independence in 1960, the first President of the Republic, F. A. Tsiranana gave the academy a separate building in the Tsymbazaza Park, where it is still located today. Prior to that, meetings were held in the Palace of the Queen or the Prime Minister, in the building of the National Assembly or the Chamber of Commerce.

In 1969, by Decree No. 69-024, the President of the country took the Academy under his patronage. The Academy was again reorganized. Its purpose was determined to be the guardian and protector of the Malagasy cultural heritage and the central authority for scientific and technical research. A new structure of the academy was defined, which remains in place to this day. Four sections were created: language, literature and art; humanities and political sciences; fundamental sciences; and applied sciences.

Each Section elects its own President, Vice-President and Secretary from among its full members. Section presidents are vice-presidents of the Academy. The position of Chancellor was established. The President, Vice-Presidents, and Chancellor make up the Academy's Presidium. The Academy has significantly expanded its national staff: 40 full members and 40 associate members, 120 corresponding members, and 60 foreign members.

In 1977, the Academy celebrated its 75th anniversary. Three international colloquiums were held: in Malagasy linguistics, history and law, Malagasy plants and cancer therapy. Until 1977, the Academy's activities were concentrated in the capital city of Antananarivo, where most of its members lived. Now scientists from other cities of the country are being elected to the Academy. Regional branches of the Academy were established in the administrative centers of the provinces.

On May 27, 1993, a new government Decree No. 93-302 regulating the Academy's activities was issued. In accordance with it, the academy was awarded the title of national. The supreme governing body of the Academy was the general meeting of full members. It elects the President of the Academy for a 3-year term. The name of the first section was changed to the Information Science section. The staff of the Academy has increased. It has 80 full members, 80 associate members, 120 corresponding members and 120 foreign members. Three research centers were established at the Academy: "Traditions and Progress". Research Center for the Study of Law and Language Center.

In 2012, the Academy celebrated its 110th anniversary. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister O. Beriziki. In his speech, he noted that the Academy is a "national pride" and called for continuing research for the benefit of the country (p. 17). The President of the Academy, Dr. R. Andriamanandzar, noted that in the face of new global challenges, it is necessary to deepen knowledge "about everything that is under the ground, on the ground, in the sea, in the air of Madagascar" (p. 18). But the main role of the academy is the struggle for the national language.

page 204
The author cites interesting data, according to which about 1,100 members have been elected to the Academy since its inception. In 2012, the number of members of the Academy was 265 people, about a quarter of whom lived abroad.

The Academy publishes scientific works of its members and works of foreign scientists in periodicals. The Academy operates a printing house, library and archive.

The Academy's scientists have long-standing ties with foreign academies and international scientific organizations. Thus, in 1996, an agreement was signed with the Russian Academy of Sciences and the French Academy of Sciences. Relations have been established with the International Science Foundation of Sweden and the International Union of Academicians. The Malagasy Academy is a member of the Third World Academy of Sciences and the African Academy of Sciences.

The article on the history of the Academy is successfully supplemented and continues the sections on the above-mentioned centers of the Academy. Among them are three sections about the Center of Languages (author-Zh. Ratsimandrava), about the Center "Traditions and Progress" (author V. Cheremisinov), about the Research Center for the Study of Law (author-A. Cheremisinov). Rakharidzaun).

The Language Center was originally called the Center for the Leadership and Coordination of Linguistic Research and Language Development Activities. Currently, it is called the National Bureau of Languages and is a special body of the Academy for research, consulting, decision-making, monitoring and evaluation in the field of languages. Its main functions are to promote the development of the various languages spoken by Malagasy people, providing a platform for meetings of their native speakers on the topic of "Culture and development", develop tools for assessing cultural heritage and organize cultural events.

The task of the Center "Traditions and Progress" is to study traditions, socio-economic and cultural processes. Since 2007, the Center has focused on the conservation and restoration of biodiversity.

The third of these centers , the Research and Training Center for the Study of Law, was established in 1993-1994 and is engaged in the development of modern law. Its functions include, among other things, the task of carrying out, organizing and directing research on the history of Malgash law and legal sociology, on private and public law, business law and any issue related to the current law of Madagascar.

The issue of relations between the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Malagasy Academy is considered in detail (author A. Davidson), and the appendix contains the full text of the Agreement on Scientific Cooperation between them dated May 27, 1996 (pp. 281-283).

Taken as a whole, the section on the history and general problems of the Academy gives a clear idea of the ways of its formation. At the same time, in future publications of this type, it would be desirable for the authors of sections, in my opinion, not only to record and state the transformations that have repeatedly occurred and are taking place in the academy, but also to reveal the reasons for these transformations, as well as the consequences and results that they have led to in various areas of scientific, social and economic life of the state and islands in general.

Along with the section on the history and general problems of the Academy, the main volume of the almanac (205 pages out of 287, or 71.4%) consists of articles devoted to the life and activities of 25 academicians and presidents of the Academy, including its founder Joseph Simon Gallieni (pp. 27-37) (author A. Kozvonin).

J. S. Gallieni (1849-1916) Marshal of France, an outstanding French military leader, statesman and colonial figure, member of the Academy since 1907. The author of the article, in particular, notes that the conquest ("pacification") Madagascar and "the construction of a colonial state on its territory was carried out by Gallieni according to his new organizational method", which involved conducting military operations simultaneously with transformations in the political, economic and cultural fields, rigid concentration of all military and civilian power in one hand, giving more space to personal initiative and interest, innovative "civilian use of the army" (p. 29).

Shortly after Gallieni's arrival on the island on September 27, 1896, slavery was abolished in Madagascar. This act was of great historical significance for the further development of the country. It destroyed the existing social hierarchy of society and laid the foundations for the development of new vectors of confrontation between the social groups of Madagascar, especially against the background of repression against the local nobility.

page 205
An important political measure implemented by Gallieni was the abolition of the monarchy, forcing Queen Ranavaluna III to abdicate on 28 February 1897 and expelling her first to fr. Reunion, and then to Algeria.

In the field of culture, Gallieni's main task was to create a network of schools with a "decidedly French education". In addition to schools, Gallieni initiated the creation of a number of educational and scientific institutions, including: The Tananarive Medical School (1896); the Le Mire de Villiers School, which trained leaders for the Malagasy administration (1897); the Institute for Rabies Vaccines (1898), which became the Pasteur Institute in Madagascar in 1927; and finally, Gallieni's most famous brainchild, the Malagasy (Malgash) Academy (1902), the first in the world Africa.

The author notes that there are very different assessments of Gallieni's nine-year activity on the island and his use of various" sticks and carrots " in the implementation of his plans in the interests of the French colonial Empire. He managed to lay the foundation of a colonial society in Madagascar. The author gives a characteristic assessment of his activity by the French researcher X. Deschampaume: "Gallieni met the rebellious jungle, and left behind a quiet and prosperous colony "(p. 33).

Every reader can easily guess what the socio-political, economic and cultural life on the island would have been like without the Gallieni transformation.

In any case, we can assume that A. V. Kozvonin very objectively and thoroughly prepared an article about J. S. Gallieni, who made a huge contribution to the future of Madagascar and largely determined its development in the XX century.

The personalities of five other presidents and 19 members of the Academy are prepared by highly experienced and qualified specialists in Madagascar, which it is not possible to simply list in one review. I would like to note that a similar edition of the almanac was published in French.

page 206

Permanent link to this publication: