The University After 7 October

Swiss Association of Geography, Swiss Geosciences Meeting “Afterglow” Event with Apéro

8 November, 17.30-19.00

Basler Afrika Bibliographien 

Klosterberg 23, 4051 Basel

Convened by: Claske Dijkema (Department of Social Work, Berner Fachhochschule) and Julia Büchele (Graduate School of Social Sciences, University of Basel).

 How have recent political and university events reshaped the ways in which research and teaching can address structural racism and antisemitism in human geography and allied fields? The University of Basel, where the 2024 Swiss Geosciences meeting takes place, has been targeted by the Swiss media as part of attempts to discredit anti-racist, post- and decolonial approaches to scientific research and teaching (Nkula-Wenz & Larsen, 2024). Several Swiss universities have, in the wake of such controversies and student protests, issued statements that claim that the university is “not a place for political debate.” In the face of local and global efforts to politically (re)define the contours and contents of research and teaching, what might a productive relationship between academic institutions and their multiple societal contexts look like?

 In this discussion event, we aim to explore the wider context and implications of such efforts for university research and teaching in human geography and allied fields. Scholars have pointed out evidence of structural racism and antisemitism in the Swiss education system (Mugglin, Efionayi, Ruedin & D’Amato, 2022). What does this mean for teaching and scientific knowledge production? How may university codes of conduct calling for  “socially responsible” research and “diversity and inclusivity” need to be understood and strengthened in a context where addressing geographies of racialized inequality and epistemic injustice may be framed as an unwanted form of political action? What can human geography learn in this regard from other fields such as climate science—a quintessentially “activist” science, also targeted by right-wing media and politics? How may we begin discerning and discussing shifts in the situational geography of free speech?

In this event, we will work in small discussion groups addressing the themes and questions above; a representative of each group will then report to the larger group. Our aim will be to share as many different perspectives and approaches as possible within the timeframe of the workshop.

This event responds to the call for papers for the theme issue “Policing the academy: contributions from and experiences in geography” of the journal Geographica Helvetica.

 If you would like to participate, please register by writing an e-mail to Julia Büchelej.buechele@clutterunibas.ch before November 8^th. Snacks and Drinks will be available.

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