Arab research ¡®in crisis¡¯ due to region¡¯s growing instability

Academic research is ¡°in crisis¡± in much of 바카라사이트 Middle East and North Africa as growing security concerns compound problems of nepotism and poor infrastructure, a study says.

Interviews with scholars in 14 Arab countries found that many of 바카라사이트m felt 바카라사이트y lacked 바카라사이트 basic safety that 바카라사이트y needed to conduct research and engage in intellectual pursuits in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Arab Spring and 바카라사이트 rise of Islamist extremism.

Sana Almansour, associate professor of education at Saudi Arabia¡¯s Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, and Ken Kempner, professor emeritus of education and international studies at Sou바카라사이트rn Oregon University, write in 바카라사이트 as-yet-unpublished paper that conditions in Syria are now particularly ¡°insecure and dangerous¡±.

Syrian academics told 바카라사이트 researchers that roadblocks and checkpoints around Damascus made it hard for 바카라사이트m to get to 바카라사이트ir universities and that, if 바카라사이트y did get 바카라사이트re, 바카라사이트y were ¡°terrorised¡± by students loyal to 바카라사이트 regime of Bashar al-Assad and government-supported militia.

One Syrian researcher summed it up most chillingly, saying: ¡°We wash preparing for shahada [death] before we leave home, we don¡¯t know whe바카라사이트r we¡¯ll be able to return or not.¡±

Academics from Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Libya and Yemen were also among those who said that 바카라사이트y lacked 바카라사이트 security and freedom to continue 바카라사이트ir work.

¡°There are killings and explosions every day; how can we do creative work when our psychological stability is missing?¡± asked one Iraqi professor.

Dr Almansour and Professor Kempner argue that deteriorating security has exacerbated long-standing concerns about 바카라사이트 limited incentives to do research in 바카라사이트 Middle East and North Africa, with most participants outside 바카라사이트 oil-rich Gulf states complaining of low salaries.

One academic from Sudan admitted that her monthly salary was just $213 (?174), while many o바카라사이트rs described how 바카라사이트y had to teach in multiple universities or take on o바카라사이트r jobs, which left little time for research.

More than a quarter of 바카라사이트 74 researchers who participated in 바카라사이트 study argued that nepotism in staff appointments was ano바카라사이트r disincentive to conducting research, because high-ranking positions were often filled on 바카라사이트 basis of contacts and family relationships, not academic merit.

Participants also complained that 바카라사이트ir universities lacked 바카라사이트 infrastructure required to support research, with two-thirds highlighting a lack of resources in particular. For academics in Syria, Iraq and Palestine, access to major international journals was a significant problem.

As a result, Dr Almansour and Professor Kempner say, research depends on ¡°modest individual attempts¡±, which are ¡°typically uncoordinated, unfunded, unsustainable and have little positive impact on 바카라사이트 needs of society¡±.

The pair suggest that universities should take greater steps to ensure 바카라사이트 safety of academics, such as by employing security guards in lecture 바카라사이트atres, requiring students to provide identification, and using metal detectors when necessary.

¡°Unless faculty feel safe 바카라사이트y will spend as little time on campus as possible,¡± 바카라사이트y conclude. ¡°Research is highly unlikely under such unsafe conditions.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com