Conversations on Positionality

Episode 8: Nicola Pratt on Ethics and the Responsibility to Counter Repression

In this last episode of the series, Anne Kirstine speaks to Nicola Pratt about her views on the role of researchers in society. Nicola reflects on the ethical responsibilities of researchers to fight repression and the importance of engaging in political debates about their subject matter. She also reflects on the importance of relations in a time where extractivism has become a widespread research method.

Nicola is Professor of International Politics of the Middle East at the University of Warwick. Her publications have explored women's activism, democratisation, human rights and conflict in a number of Middle Eastern countries.

Episode 7: Madawi al-Rasheed on Saudi Arabia, Activism, and Research in Repressive Contexts

In this episode, Anne Kirstine invites Madawi al-Rasheed to speak about her research on Saudi Arabia. Madawi discusses how her work has been influenced by her family background and political engagement.

Madawi is a Visiting Professor at the LSE Middle East Centre. Her list of publications includes no fewer than 15 books on social change, religion, gender, and politics in Saudi Arabia. Madawi has been featured in numerous documentaries and leading media outlets, voicing her opinions on matters related to Saudi Arabia.

Episode 6: Serhun Al on Kurdish Movements, Peace, and the Role of Researchers in Society

In this episode, Anne Kirstine talks to Serhun Al about his fieldwork on Kurdish movements in Turkey and beyond. Serhun reflects on his own Kurdish roots and how they influence his research. He also explains how he navigates his positionality when conducting interviews in conflict zones, and shares his reflections on researcher neutrality.

Serhun is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Izmir University of Economics, where he recently returned after spending a year as a visiting scholar at the State University in Ohio. His research, published in both Turkish and English, focuses on ethnicity, nationalism, and security studies in the Kurdish Middle East and Turkey.

Episode 5: Lucia Ardovini on Gender, Emotions and Interviewing People in Exile

In this episode, Anne Kirstine talks to Lucia Ardovini about her research on the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Lucia talks about how she developed relationships with Brotherhood members in exile and shares her thoughts on how to address ethical issues, biases and colonial heritage in knowledge production.

Lucia is a Lecturer in International Relations at Lancaster University and the Director of the Richardson Institute. Her research focuses on social movements, transnational activism and ideology. She is the author of the book Surviving Repression: The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood after the 2013 Coup.

Episode 4: Nadim El Kak on Intersectionality, Trauma, and Being an Insider

In this episode, Nadim El Kak joins Anne Kirstine for a conversation about his research on Lebanon's opposition in the wake of the 2019 October Uprising. Having grown up in Lebanon and previously participated in an opposition group, Nadim has a close and personal relation to this subject. He reflects on the advantages and downsides of this positionality. Nadim also shares his thoughts on inclusion within academia and collaboration between Western and non-Western institutions.

Nadim is an instructor of sociology at the American University of Beirut and a consultant at The Policy Initiative, an independent Beirut-based think tank. His research focuses on politics and social movements in Lebanon.

Episode 3: Ahlam Chemlali on Hybrid Positionality and Vulnerable Communities

In this episode, Anne Kirstine speaks with Ahlam Chemlali about her research among migrant women stuck in transit in North Africa. Ahlam explains how her own migrant background as well as her identity as a mother plays out in her fieldwork, and shares her thoughts on ethics and the recent developments within the literature in researcher positionality.

Ahlam is a PhD fellow at the Danish Institute for International studies. Her research focuses on the topics of migration, border politics and practices of border violence in the North African borderlands. She previously worked as a Program Manager at DIGNITY - the Danish Institute Against Torture. Ahlam currently serves as an expert advisor on peace and migration.

Episode 2: Simon Mabon on Outside Positionality and Shared Humanity

Anne Kirstine speaks with Simon Mabon about the privileges that come with his positionality and how he, as an outsider, builds trustful and ethical relations with his interlocutors. Simon also shares his thoughts on the role of positionality in teaching and supervision of students.

Simon is Chair in International Politics at Lancaster University and co-director of the Richardson Institute. His work focuses on sovereignty, sectarianism and regional order in the Middle East, and his recent book, The Struggle for Supremacy in the Middle East: The Rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran was published earlier this year.

Episode 1: Dana El Kurd on Researching Palestine as a Palestinian Scholar 

Anne Kirstine speaks with Dana El Kurd about how she navigates her identity as a Palestinian woman scholar in academia, in the field, and in the public sphere. Dana also shares perspectives from her research on the decolonisation of social sciences.

Dana is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Richmond and a Senior Nonresident Fellow at the Arab Center Washington. Her research focuses on authoritarian regimes and state-society relations in the Arab world. She is author of the book, 'Polarized and Demobilized: Legacies of Authoritarianism in Palestine'.