The Centre for Lebanese Studies in collaboration with the REAL Centre at Cambridge University presents:

The role of academic scholarship in conflict: a seminar series on academic freedom and research ethics*

In a world marred by conflicts, violence, wars and pervasive surveillance, which are not only devastating but protracted, the  academic community as a whole, and especially in the field of education in conflict and emergencies, and humanitarian affairs, is forced to confront and question how it may continue to engage ethically, responsibly, and justly,  in a field historically plagued by colonialism, racism and violence.

Furthermore, the academic community as a whole is facing restrictions on academic freedom potentially threating its the ability to speak truth to power, and especially in the field of education in conflict and emergencies, and humanitarian affairs. The silencing of the academic voice restricts critical and meaningful scholarship.  Scholars are constantly  finding they need to make decisions on whether and how to engage, be silent or continue with business as usual. This atmosphere eroded the basis of scholarship and the ideal of university itself.

As we grapple as a community of scholars on how best to navigate tactfully these complexities and  difficult conversations, failing to openly address these questions, puts us at the risk of extractive scholarship, in which entire communities are reduced to mere “data sources” thus perpetuating and upholding the colonial power structures that have tainted the domains of education in conflict and development. In this seminar series, our aim is to engage in discussions and delve into the intricacies of these contentious and challenging conversations.

The first session:

The implicated subject: our ethical responsibilities as scholars in conflict

With Prof. Mario Novelli and Dr. Birgul Kutan

When: 26 October 2023

Where: Faculty of Education, McIntyre Building, 184 Hills Road, CB2 8PQ

Readings: Mario Novelli & Birgul Kutan (2023): The imperial entanglements of ‘Education in Emergencies’: from saving souls to saving schools?, Globalisation, Societies and Education, DOI: 10.1080/14767724.2023.2236566