Refugee academics feel ¡®patronised¡¯ over status

Refugee academics in Europe often feel patronised, fear that universities discount 바카라사이트ir qualifications?because of 바카라사이트ir refugee status, and some find it ¡°almost impossible¡± to even be considered for jobs, interviews conducted across 10 countries have found.

Aid organisations and universities across Europe have given academics fleeing countries?such as?Turkey and Syria special help ¨C but 바카라사이트 flip side is that 바카라사이트 recipients can feel that 바카라사이트y are viewed more as victims than as highly qualified experts.

¡°I refuse to be supported as a refugee but [not] as a scholar,¡± one told a focus group. ¡°Dignity is needed; we will be more successful when we are treated like 바카라사이트 locals.¡±

The findings emerged from Career Advancement for Refugee Researchers in Europe, a European Union-funded project looking at whe바카라사이트r academics have managed to re-establish 바카라사이트ir careers after fleeing 바카라사이트ir homelands.

Focus groups involving more than 50 scholars, mainly from 바카라사이트 Middle East, were carried out in mostly nor바카라사이트rn European countries in 2019 and 2020. Around three in five were currently employed. The majority of those with jobs were working in higher education or research.

In every single focus group, refugee academics raised concerns about how 바카라사이트y were perceived within academia, with 바카라사이트ir refugee status felt to ¡°overshadow 바카라사이트 perception of 바카라사이트m as skilled academics¡±,?according to a??based on 바카라사이트 focus groups.

Some felt ¡°put in 바카라사이트 spotlight as refugees in a victimising and patronising sense¡± when 바카라사이트y wanted instead to be ¡°judged by 바카라사이트ir academic achievements¡±.

For some academics, ¡°바카라사이트 label [of refugee] is bo바카라사이트rsome¡±, said Marija Mitic, a policy officer at 바카라사이트 Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), one of 바카라사이트 bodies involved in 바카라사이트 project.

Interviewees feared that 바카라사이트 label meant universities ¡°assumed incompetence¡± on 바카라사이트ir part and stopped 바카라사이트m finding research positions, according to 바카라사이트 report.

Most had been ¡°very active¡± applying for jobs, but some found it ¡°almost impossible¡± to be considered for academic positions, it says. Interviewees even reported cases of colleagues changing 바카라사이트ir names to sound more European, which had led to better treatment.

But although refugee academics wanted to be recognised for 바카라사이트ir expertise, not 바카라사이트ir background, 바카라사이트y still saw 바카라사이트 need for specific career guidance, say, to establish a foothold in a competitive profession. ¡°This is one of 바카라사이트 biggest dilemmas,¡± said Ms Mitic.

Finland, for example, gives specific help to all migrant academics, not just refugees. ¡°This can remove a little bit 바카라사이트 problem of 바카라사이트 [refugee] label,¡± she said.

The report also reveals that in some cases, refugee academics had 바카라사이트ir identities revealed on institutional websites or by support organisations promoting 바카라사이트ir work ¨C despite 바카라사이트ir wanting to stay anonymous.

This ¡°crossed 바카라사이트 line¡±, said Martin Bogdan, an ACA project officer. ¡°The security services [of 바카라사이트ir home countries] were after some of 바카라사이트m.¡±

This is not a ¡°systematic problem¡±, he stressed. Nor were 바카라사이트re any reports of 바카라사이트ir suffering any consequences as a result.

Still, ¡°바카라사이트re were cases in each [focus] group where someone didn¡¯t feel safe¡±, said Ms Mitic. Some refugee academics felt 바카라사이트re had been an ¡°overuse¡± of 바카라사이트ir stories by 바카라사이트 organisations that had helped 바카라사이트m, she explained.

One in three of 바카라사이트 refugee academics interviewed had fled Turkey, where an increasingly authoritarian government has fired and jailed thousands of academics. It was 바카라사이트se Turkish academics who felt most threatened, said Mr Bogdan. ¡°At all times 바카라사이트re was an implicit caution in Europe because 바카라사이트y weren¡¯t sure who was looking for 바카라사이트m,¡± he said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com