The last year has shown that academic freedom is under threat globally and locally. The escalation of the conflict in Israel/Palestine in particular has raised issues about physical threats to individuals and institutions, threats of censorship and increases in hate speech.  These threats are not unique to that conflict or that region.  From Ukraine to Afghanistan to Sudan and from Belfast to Boston, academic freedom faces numerous challenges, both obvious direct threats and more subtle risks.

At this Conference, we will highlight some of these threats and publicise the annual Scholars at Risk report Free to Think which details many examples of threats across the globe.  We will hear from scholars presenting perspectives, both global and local, on academic freedom and we will have the opportunity to learn more about the work of Scholars at Risk and examples of good practice in the support for the continuation of academic practice for those at risk, in exile and displaced, including that offered by the Council of At Risk Academics.

The Conference will be opened with remarks from Prof Archie Clement Pro-Vice-Chancellor (PVC) for Research and Enterprise at Queen’s University Belfast.

Confirmed speakers include: Prof Graham Ellison (QUB), Prof Roja Fazaeli (University of Galway), Dr Liudmyla Fihurska (QUB), Prof Colin Harvey (QUB), Dr Mohammed Hassan (Essex), Prof Nigel Healey (University of Limerick), Goretti Horgan (Ulster), Dr Tetiana Kolisnyk (QUB), Dr Chandana Mathur (Maynooth), Dr. Abdul Aziz Mohibbi (Maynooth), Prof Rowena Pecchenino (Maynooth, former chair of SAR Ireland), Denise Roche (SAR Europe and Maynooth).

The Conference will include a Performance by Swar and Hasoun (Syria) and Conor (Ireland) of Beyond Skin and the Musicians Artists as Risk Resettlement Scheme (MARRS).

Tea/coffee and a light lunch will be provided.

Directions to the MAC can be found here.  

This Conference is organised by SAR-Ireland and is being co-ordinated by Prof O’Connell, Current Chair, SAR Ireland Committee and Institute Fellow: Legacy, Prof Dina Belluigi (QUB Representative).

It is supported by the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s University of Belfast (QUB), and the Transitional Justice Institute (TJI) and INCORE at Ulster University (UU).