{"id":1567,"date":"2025-09-29T08:38:40","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T12:38:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/?page_id=1567"},"modified":"2026-01-06T05:03:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T09:03:45","slug":"2025-workshops","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/2025-workshops\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Workshops"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Decolonization and Extractivism in Academic Research in the MENA Region
August 17-20, 2025 \u2013 Amman, Jordan <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In August 2025, APSA held a four-day methods workshop in Amman, titled \u201cAddressing Decolonization and Extractivism in Academic Research in the MENA Region.\u201d Led by Drs. Rola El-Husseini (Lund University), Sarah Anne Rennick (Arab Reform Initiative, Paris), Nadine Sika (American University in Cairo), and Saloua Zerhouni (Mohammed V University), the program convened 25 PhD candidates and early-career scholars from across the Arab MENA region to examine the pervasive issue of extractivism in academia within the MENA region. The workshop marked the third methods training since the launch of the MENA Methods Program Initiative<\/a> in 2023. The program combined thematic discussions with group exercises, encouraging participants to engage with critical issues in decolonial research, including intellectual extractivism, research ethics, positionality, and knowledge production (see reading list<\/a> and schedule<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Workshop participants and co-leaders gather for a group photo at Columbia Global Centers in Amman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Together with workshop fellows, co-leaders examined how epistemic extractivism manifests in research practices that appropriate local knowledge without reciprocity and reproduce asymmetrical power relations between Western and regional scholars. Fellows reflected on how extractivist logics can operate through data collection, analysis, and dissemination in the MENA context, where the exploitation of knowledge and other intellectual resources from marginalized communities and local research partners remains prevalent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

\u201cI appreciated the openness and vulnerability of both participants and facilitators, which created a space where it felt possible to speak openly and question one another\u2019s standpoints.\u201d \u2013Workshop Fellow<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Sara Aljabari, Arab American University<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Drawing on their own experience from fieldwork in the region, fellows and participants discussed the challenges of conducting research in politically charged and unequal contexts, and the responsibility of scholars to acknowledge power asymmetries in their research and analysis. Beyond the discussions, the workshop also highlighted the structural forces in academia that shape knowledge production and contribute to the dynamics of extractivism. Participants reflected on the purposes of knowledge production and whether it is primarily generated to advance careers and accumulate institutional capital, or to inform change and social impact. The workshop further explored the potential for a paradigm shift in how knowledge is produced, communicated, and utilized, envisioning frameworks that move beyond extractive practices toward models of reciprocity, accessibility, and recognition of diverse epistemologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Group exercises and simulations invited fellows to consider how alternative principles and approaches, including those from the M\u0101ori Code of Ethics, could inform more ethical and culturally grounded research practices in MENA contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Workshop fellows discuss and reflect on positionality and knowledge production during a breakout exercise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The program also offered designated office hours for fellows to seek feedback and guidance on their research projects from workshop facilitators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Workshop fellow Jad Baghadi (right, University of Oxford) with co-leader Prof. Rola El-Husseini (left, Lund University) during office hours.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Participants meet with Prof. Saloua Zerhouni (Mohammed V University) during office hours.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As part of the program, Columbia Global Centers | Amman hosted a public roundtable on research ethics in the MENA region, featuring Dr. Lisa Anderson (Columbia University) in conversation with the workshop facilitators. The discussion focused on the structural hierarchies embedded in global knowledge production and the challenges they pose for scholars in the region, particularly around questions of positionality, ethics, and reciprocity. Drawing on their experiences and scholarship, including work from the REMENA project<\/a>, panelists discussed how scholars can challenge extractive practices and contribute to the democratization of knowledge in and about the region. The event concluded with a reception that brought together workshop fellows with scholars from the local Columbia academic community and regional research and policy institutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Workshop Fellows<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
    \n
  • Marouane Abidouche \u2014 Mohammed V University, Morocco<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Ghaidaa Al-Absi \u2014 Malaya University, Yemen<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Taraf Abu Hamdan \u2014 Independent Researcher, Jordan <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Areej Abuqudairi \u2014 King\u2019s College London, UK<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Jad Baghdadi \u2014 University of Oxford, Syria <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Khaoula Bengezi \u2014 York University, Libya<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Bilal Aladaylih \u2014 University of Jordan<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Christian Bevilacqua (MA student) \u2014 Syracuse University, US<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Anasuya Virmani \u2014 University of Oxford, UK<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Abdallah Sami Abulouz \u2014 University of Michigan, Jordan <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Mohamed Dhia Hammami \u2014 Syracuse University, Tunisia <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Timhadjelt Sabiha \u2014 University Mohamed Kheider, Algeria<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n
      \n
    • Safae Benfraiha \u2014 University Hassan II Ben M\u2019sik-Casablanca, Morocco<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Adel Dashela \u2014 Columbia Global Centers Amman, Jordan <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Ghadeer Awwad \u2014 University of Michigan, Palestine<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Sara Aljabari \u2014 Seeds of Peace, Palestine<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Ahmed Bilel Kotti \u2014 University of Sfax, Tunisia<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Areej Issa \u2014 Bethlehem University, Palestine<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Kawtar Khalil \u2014 Hassan II University, Morocco<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Khawla Qozmane \u2014 Mohammed V University, Morocco<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Mansour Al-Maswari \u2014 MESA Global Academy, Jordan<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Laila Mourad \u2014 York University, Egypt <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Youssef Mnaili \u2014 Wits University, Johannesburg, Morocco<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Nisreen Alsoudi \u2014 E\u00f6tv\u00f6s Lor\u00e1nd University, Jordan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Decolonization and Extractivism in Academic Research in the MENA RegionAugust 17-20, 2025 \u2013 Amman, Jordan In August 2025, APSA held a four-day methods workshop in Amman, titled \u201cAddressing Decolonization and Extractivism in Academic Research in the MENA Region.\u201d Led by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1567","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1567"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1617,"href":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1567\/revisions\/1617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.apsanet.org\/mena\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}