Experiences of the university-science-development relationship in rural social studies in Cuba

Abstract

In recent years, many studies have been carried out about the third mission of higher education and the social relevance of universities, based on several theoretical models and empirical contributions. This paper analyzes the interrelation between scientific development in a particular field of production and the legitimization of knowledge, between the rural social studies and higher education. The use of sociology of knowledge as a theoretical-methodological instrument reveals the social implications and determinations of knowledge production, that are key dimensions in this relationship. In that way, the social sciences offer a different perspective in the fulfillment of the third mission.