Protecting Academia: Equality, Knowledge Production, and Institutional Responsibility"

Abstract (English)

This panel examines how academia can better support scholars displaced by war, political persecution, and authoritarian regimes. It explores how exile disrupts academic structures and reshapes knowledge production, using personal narratives to highlight challenges, survival strategies, and the role of gender, nationality, and career stage. Instead of treating at-risk academics as passive beneficiaries, it analyzes how host institutions evolve through these interactions.

To foster a broader and more inclusive discussion, we welcome diverse proposals, including but not limited to:

Institutional Responses and Policy Frameworks: How universities and research centers engage with displaced scholars, the effectiveness of existing SAR programs, and the limitations of current policies.

Knowledge Production in Exile: Thematic shifts in research agendas, epistemic extractivism, and the impact of forced migration on scholarly autonomy.

Intersectionality and Academic Precarity: How gender, race, ethnicity, and career stage shape the experiences of displaced scholars in host institutions.

Solidarity Beyond Crisis Response: Moving beyond temporary funding cycles to develop sustainable and inclusive academic structures.

Host Perspectives and Emotional Labor: The role of host scholars, administrators, and research centers in supporting displaced academics and the psycho-emotional dimensions of this work.

Comparative and Historical Perspectives: Lessons from past and present academic migrations, and the role of exile in shaping intellectual traditions.

The Role of Civil Society and Non-Academic Sectors: How NGOs, grassroots organizations, and independent initiatives contribute to integrating at-risk scholars.


This panel invites contributions from displaced scholars, host academics, policymakers, and researchers working on academic displacement, forced migration, and higher education policy. We encourage interdisciplinary approaches that integrate sociology, anthropology, political science, gender studies, and critical migration studies.