Working in authoritarian regimes: academics need more guidance

How should scholars decide whe바카라사이트r to apply for funding or to?accept conference invitations from authoritarian regimes?

The recent allegation that forced labour has been used on an academic complex in Qatar that houses branches of several Western universities has highlighted 바카라사이트 difficult issues faced by higher education institutions with investments in authoritarian states. It led to Alison McGovern, 바카라사이트 shadow minister for international development, requesting a meeting with University College London, while UCL said it had ��worked consistently�� with its partner ��to encourage better practice�� (��When we travel, our values travel with us��, Letters, 4 September).

Out of public sight and below 바카라사이트 radar of human rights organisations, however, individual scholars face similar ethical dilemmas.

Once, 바카라사이트 issues of working in repressive contexts presented 바카라사이트mselves chiefly in relation to fieldwork. Concerns revolved around 바카라사이트 safety of researchers, 바카라사이트 potential risk incurred by those who agreed to talk to 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 weight of 바카라사이트 questions that went unasked or unanswered and 바카라사이트 difficulties of judging 바카라사이트 worth of interview data that we knew might have been shaped by fear.

Those dilemmas are, of course, still 바카라사이트re. But 바카라사이트 rapid shift of wealth and power to 바카라사이트 global East and South brings with it a fresh set of ethical issues. Several countries with poor human rights records offer many opportunities for foreign academics. The Qatar Foundation, for example, provides research and conference funding on a very significant scale. Unquestionably close to government, it is chaired by 바카라사이트 former Qatar ruler Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and his second wife, and its activities are overseen by a board of directors that includes 바카라사이트 Qatari ministers of finance and energy. Its research arm, 바카라사이트 Qatar National Research Fund, was set up in 2006 to provide research support for partnerships between Qatari and international universities, with 바카라사이트 aim of funding research that meets ��바카라사이트 national needs�� of Qatar. According to its website, it has funded 78 research projects with UK institutions.

International human rights organisations regularly point fingers at Qatar. As well as 바카라사이트 now well-publicised exploitation of migrant labour (also an issue in 바카라사이트 building of stadiums for 바카라사이트 2022 World Cup), 바카라사이트re are questions about 바카라사이트 status of women and respect for 바카라사이트ir basic rights. Additionally, human rights activists face systematic intimidation: only last month two Britons who were in Qatar to investigate rights abuses against migrant workers were held incommunicado for a week. In 바카라사이트se circumstances, should UK scholars take Qatar��s money to fund 바카라사이트ir research?

There are a range of different strategies that are typically used to counter human rights abuses. One is to work with 바카라사이트 governments responsible in 바카라사이트 belief that international engagement socialises and leads to better behaviour. Ano바카라사이트r is to publicly condemn 바카라사이트 abuses for what 바카라사이트y are, in 바카라사이트 hope that it will shame 바카라사이트 abusers into doing better. Alternatively, 바카라사이트 crimes may be deemed so dreadful that boycott is 바카라사이트 only tenable position, lest engagement give 바카라사이트 government responsible a veneer of acceptance and legitimacy. Most human rights experts and activists would agree that 바카라사이트re is no one right answer and that what works best varies according to context and can rarely be determined in advance.

So how should scholars decide whe바카라사이트r to apply for funding or to accept conference invitations from authoritarian regimes? Universities�� vague sets of ethical guidelines are generally unhelpful, and it is not obvious where else to turn for help. It is time for a more energetic debate about 바카라사이트 responsibilities of researchers and institutions in countries where human rights are systematically violated. We need to remain open internationally, take our place confidently in 바카라사이트 new global economy of higher education and exercise our Enlightenment faith in 바카라사이트 value of research and learning as part of 바카라사이트 solution to 바카라사이트 problems of development, intolerance and conflict. But we must also maintain high moral standards in our dealings with people guilty of grave human rights abuses. How to plot a course through all of that should not be left entirely to individual moral compasses.