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Beyond Education Emergencies: towards an ideology of struggle

Tue, March 25, 2:45 to 4:00pm, Palmer House, Floor: 7th Floor, Burnham 4

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

Over the past two decades, the field of Education in Emergencies (EiE) has expanded significantly, with notable growth in policy, practical interventions, and academic research. This increased attention stems from growing concerns about the importance of education for displaced populations, which has led to a surge in international funding. However, this influx of funding brings with it a range of agendas, challenges, and considerations (Chankseliani, 2023). Despite these advancements, the field has developed with limited critical examination of the underlying rationale and vision driving it, resulting in a poorly conceptualized domain. The close association with humanitarian approaches has shaped the field's logic and actors, yet the tensions between future-oriented educational goals and the short-term humanitarian logic remain largely unexplored (Brun and Shuayb, 2020). Furthermore, discussions about the vision and outcomes of education policies for refugees have often been vague.
As the field matures, evidenced by an expanding body of knowledge, a community of scholars, and growing networks, it faces significant critique. This critique challenges EiE’s alignment with colonial, imperialist, racialized, saviourist, and capitalist logics (Brun and Shuayb, 2023; Menashy and Zakharia, 2022; Novelli and Kutan, 2023; Oddy, 2023). Critics argue that EiE often operates under a "saviourism" paradigm, where benevolence and charity perpetuate paternalism and reinforce power imbalances, particularly given the field’s reliance on imperialist funding sources. The recent suspension of UNRWA funding by pro-Israeli governments in the Global North highlights this politicization of aid (Oddy 2024; Save the Children 2024). A proposed shift towards a "politics of solidarity" advocates for supporting and learning from affected communities, while repositioning global EiE actors into complementary roles (Menashy, Zakharia, and Shuayb, 2021; Zakharia, 2024).
Another critical aspect addresses the epistemic hegemony prevalent in EiE research. The field often reflects Northern-centric perspectives that marginalize alternative knowledge forms, perpetuating colonial and imperialist values and privileging Northern expertise (Bian, 2022; Oddy, 2023; Pailey, 2020; Menashy and Zakharia, 2022). The call is for "epistemic diversity and humility," which involves valuing diverse knowledge systems and challenging the extractive nature of research dynamics (Connell, 2007/2020; Ndlovu-Gatsheni, 2021; Quijano and Ennis, 2000; Gauthier, Bazuzu, and Lameke, 2020).
Additionally, current research practices often disadvantage Southern scholars, relegating them to roles of data collectors rather than contributors to knowledge production. This issue is exacerbated by minimalistic ethical assessments and barriers in publication and participation, such as high registration fees and venue selection in the Global North (Shuayb, Saab, and Brun, 2023). The proposed shift towards "research as reparation" involves acknowledging unpaid labor, creating equitable research spaces, and revising funding criteria to better support and reflect the perspectives and needs of Southern researchers and affected communities.
Overall, the critique urges a reconfiguration of EiE scholarship to move from its current imperial implications towards a model grounded in solidarity, reparation, and mutual liberation (Abdelnour and Abu Moghli, 2021; Novelli and Kutan, 2023). Despite the substantial body of knowledge produced, the epistemology and theory underpinning the field remain largely uninterrogated, with the field often built on the conventional wisdom that education is a gateway to improved welfare and protection (Bush and Saltarelli, 2000; Cardozo and Novelli, 2018; Dryden-Peterson, 2020; Dryden-Peterson et al., 2019; Crisp et al., 2001; Ilcan, 2019; Morrice, 2021; Novelli and Cardozo, 2008).
Recent scrutiny has questioned the industry surrounding EIE, highlighting criticisms of aid-driven education programs and their colonial legacy (Shuayb and Brun, 2020). This session will delve into the ideologies, alliances, partnerships, and compacts that have emerged within the field, examining the limitations of policy-funded research and its impact on critical thinking and imagination. Finally, the session will address the growing influence of humanitarian agencies on the research and policy dynamics between the Global North and South, or colonizers and the colonized (Kassis, 2022).

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