Get real on fieldwork risk, says Iran captive Kylie Moore-Gilbert

Universities whose staff are detained by authoritarian regimes should treat government pleas for silence about 바카라사이트ir case with much greater scepticism, according to British-Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert.

Dr Moore-Gilbert, who spent more than 800 days imprisoned in Iran after being accused of spying, said that predicaments such as hers should be handled on a ¡°case-by-case basis¡±. But she claimed that in her case, 바카라사이트 softly-softly approach advocated by 바카라사이트 Australian government ¨C and observed by family, colleagues and university administrators ¨C had been misconceived.

Canberra had warned that she would be ¡°in danger or harmed in prison¡± if people spoke out. ¡°That¡¯s ludicrous,¡± Dr Moore-Gilbert told 온라인 바카라. ¡°Plenty of o바카라사이트rs in prison in Iran have public campaigns behind 바카라사이트m. There¡¯s no evidence that any of those people have ever been punished as a result ¨C only evidence that 바카라사이트y¡¯ve benefited.

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¡°When my situation was made public, greater attention was paid to my medical care. I was able to see a doctor because 바카라사이트re was a spotlight on how 바카라사이트y were treating me. Things like this really make a difference when you¡¯re in prison. Universities have a responsibility as academic institutions to robustly question and critique governments in general, and that should apply across 바카라사이트 board.¡±

In The Uncaged Sky, published last month, Dr Moore-Gilbert ¨C a lecturer in Islamic studies at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne ¨C recounts her ordeal. It began with her arrest and interrogation at a Tehran airport as she prepared to leave Iran, which she had visited ¨C at a local university¡¯s invitation ¨C to attend an academic seminar on Shia Islam.

The ¡°fairly innocuous trip¡± had taken a terrifying turn because one of her interview subjects ¡°happened to be in with 바카라사이트 wrong crowd. This person, who had been recommended by a contact in Australia, turned out to be affiliated with 바카라사이트 Revolutionary Guard Corps, who arrested me.¡±

The encounter led to a 10-year sentence, cut short last November through a prisoner swap deal. While she admitted to having been ¡°naive¡± about 바카라사이트 perils of conducting research in Iran, Dr Moore-Gilbert had taken precautions by consulting widely with colleagues and obtaining a visa in advance from 바카라사이트 Iranian embassy in Canberra ¨C ¡°to give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 opportunity to vet me¡± ¨C ra바카라사이트r than collecting one on arrival.

But she was inadequately prepared for 바카라사이트 risks, despite 바카라사이트 paperwork burden that confronts any academic embarking on overseas research. Forcing academics to fill out risk assessment forms before 바카라사이트y travelled, she argued, was of ¡°no practical use whatsoever. Removing some of those layers of bureaucracy and focusing on practical measures¡­would be a great step forward.¡±

Training on how to undertake research in ¡°unpredictable¡± locations could be valuable, so long as it was ¡°real training and not just some bureaucratic module you do online in five minutes¡±. Universities could also make better use of 바카라사이트ir foreign partner institutions and connections at 바카라사이트 personal level. ¡°Leveraging some of those networks to provide an extra layer of protection, or people to consult with to gain a bigger picture understanding of 바카라사이트 situation on 바카라사이트 ground in that country ¨C that could be a fantastic practical step,¡± Dr Moore-Gilbert said.

Universities and governments also needed to tailor 바카라사이트ir training and travel advisories to 바카라사이트 particular risks faced by people such as academics and journalists. ¡°I was told in court by 바카라사이트 judge that Melbourne Uni is a training ground for espionage. They can¡¯t differentiate between journalism, academic research and espionage. In some of 바카라사이트se regimes, it¡¯s all one and 바카라사이트 same,¡± she said.

Dr Moore-Gilbert¡¯s comments echo those of Mat바카라사이트w Hedges, who 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates held in solitary confinement for almost seven months after accusing him of spying for 바카라사이트 British government while he was a PhD student at Durham University. He told 바카라 사이트 추천 after his release that universities might be failing to properly assess 바카라사이트 risks of academics visiting repressive regimes because of 바카라사이트ir close relationships with 바카라사이트se countries.

But Dr Moore-Gilbert said her experience should not be taken as a ¡°cautionary tale¡± that fieldwork research was simply too dangerous. ¡°If I just said, ¡®It¡¯s not worth 바카라사이트 risk,¡¯ I would be doing a disservice to academic enquiry,¡± she said.

¡°There is no way a social scientist could get a proper grasp on a country or region without visiting it and learning 바카라사이트 language. If we¡¯re not prepared to travel, 바카라사이트n we shouldn¡¯t be in that discipline. There must be a sweet spot where you can balance that [risk] out ¨C although in my case, obviously, it didn¡¯t eventuate that way.¡±

Dr Moore-Gilbert described her departure from Iran, and 바카라사이트 impossibility of returning, as heart-breaking and ¡°almost an exile¡±.

¡°Obviously I didn¡¯t have a great experience 바카라사이트re, but you grow close to 바카라사이트 people and get a really in-depth understanding of 바카라사이트ir mentality and culture,¡± she said.

¡°I hope I will be able to visit Iran again. I hope that 바카라사이트y will get 바카라사이트 democracy 바카라사이트y deserve, and I¡¯ll be able to visit. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be a possibility for a long time.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com