From Resistance to Resilience: The Roots of Protecting Academia at Risk

In this episode, Dina Gusejnova (PhD in History, University of Cambridge), Associate Professor in International History at LSE, shares her insights on the complexities of supporting scholars at risk in Europe. With research interests in modern European political, intellectual, and cultural history—particularly during transitional periods such as the revolutions of 1918-20 and the two World Wars—Dina is currently working on the cultural and intellectual history of forced displacement and internment during the Second World War. Drawing from her expertise and personal background as a descendant of academic migrants, she explores the challenges of integrating displaced academics, the unintended consequences of current mobility frameworks, and reflects on the research that led to the co-authored article Rewarding Mobility: Towards a Realistic European Policy Agenda for Academics at Risk, written with Andrea Pető, Alina Dragolea, and other colleagues, which inspired the current project. Tune in to learn more about the shifting dynamics of academic risk and how policy can better address the needs of scholars in vulnerable situations.

In our first episode of the Protecting Academia at Risk podcast, we introduce the project's origins and the personal journeys that brought our interdisciplinary team together. Lead researcher Andrea Pető shares her story of growing up during the anti-communist resistance and her academic career at CEU, highlighting the attack on gender studies and the broader threats to academic freedom. We discuss the global phenomenon of illiberalism, the importance of organizing against these challenges, and how displaced scholars are transforming academic institutions. This episode sets the stage for our exploration of academic resilience and the fight for intellectual freedom in the face of adversity.