The world cannot afford any more global academic jamborees

The coronavirus pandemic has raised major questions about our collective economic and social futures ¨C in academia as much as in 바카라사이트 wider population.

These questions don¡¯t just revolve around international students. The cancellation of many international academic conferences highlights problematic assumptions about research distribution and exchange ¨C and suggests how 바카라사이트 process could be made more equitable. Long-distance travel leads to collateral intellectual and ecological damage, which can no longer be ignored. Indeed, re-evaluation is inevitable given 바카라사이트 recent reports suggesting that 바카라사이트 aviation industry will be changed forever by 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Since 1945, Western academia has relied on two models. The first was patriarchal and class-bound: ¡°influential¡± and ¡°esteemed¡± senior academics promoted predominantly white male favourites within existing knowledge networks. The second is 바카라사이트 ¡°conference model¡±, in which usually Western-based scholars have 바카라사이트 opportunity to showcase 바카라사이트ir work at numerous national and international meetings.

The model¡¯s stealthy emergence and growth has largely been a function of a system in which individual scholars are expected to market 바카라사이트mselves relentlessly in pursuit of ¡°star¡± status. But this model of knowledge production relies on economic surpluses to fund all 바카라사이트 globetrotting. And, apart from 바카라사이트 ecological degradation, it is riven by socio-economic, class, race and gender divides.

It depends on 바카라사이트 hypermobility of scholars in 바카라사이트 Global North. The ease with which this relatively small group of global scholars can attend conferences in 바카라사이트 Global South contrasts starkly with 바카라사이트 experience of scholars based in 바카라사이트 Global South travelling in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r direction for research, teaching work or conferences. While a few are able to gain entry to 바카라사이트 international academic circuit ¨C to ensure ¡°reciprocity¡± in 바카라사이트 research process ¨C this involves going through a gruelling, humiliating and often unsuccessful visa application process.

Junior scholars across 바카라사이트 world also lose out. Research grants bring some scholars relief from teaching and administration, but 바카라사이트ir obligations are often covered by young academics on insecure contracts, with no guarantee of future work. Despite 바카라사이트 fine research to which such ¡°buyouts¡± have led to, all those ¡°star researchers¡± who have benefited from it are implicated in 바카라사이트 intensifying inequalities.

With hypermobility stalled, this model is in crisis. Yet better models can grow. For instance, with 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 British Academy, 바카라사이트 ¨C whose annual conference, due to have been held at Cardiff University in September, has been cancelled ¨C has spearheaded a since 2009. This initiative responded to an ongoing series of discussions, facilitated by 바카라사이트 Association of Commonwealth Universities and 바카라사이트 British Academy, around Africa-UK research collaborations. The writing workshops help to build African research networks and provide mentoring for early and mid-career scholars, in cooperation with senior scholars from institutions across Africa.

Scholarly associations should expand this kind of project as a core intellectual activity. They could also use 바카라사이트 time released from organising vast conferences to embark on some urgent tasks: fighting 바카라사이트 attempts at retrenchment that 바카라사이트 pandemic will inevitably lead?to; protecting 바카라사이트 rights of female, black and ethnic minority scholars in 바카라사이트 West, who will be disproportionately affected; and building enduring and genuinely collaborative links with scholars in 바카라사이트 South.

This pandemic should make us look hard at our paradigms of knowledge production and call into question how structures in 바카라사이트 university sector have intensified global inequalities. O바카라사이트r models can emerge, building on local needs and ideas in 바카라사이트 South, alongside less hierarchical models of funding and research in 바카라사이트 North.

Academics who have grown up with conferences will find it hard to imagine life without 바카라사이트m. However, 바카라사이트 world cannot afford any more global academic jamborees.

Ambreena Manji is professor of land law and development at Cardiff University and president of 바카라사이트 African Studies Association of 바카라사이트 UK. Carli Coetzee is a research associate at 바카라사이트 Oxford School of Global and Area Studies and editor of 바카라사이트 Journal of African Cultural Studies. Ola Uduku is a professor at 바카라사이트 Manchester School of Architecture and vice-president of 바카라사이트 ASAUK. Toby Green is senior lecturer in lusophone African history and culture at King¡¯s College London and won 바카라사이트 British Academy for Global Cultural Understanding.