Scholasticide: The destruction of Gaza’s higher educational infrastructure

Speaker: Dr Wesam Amer, Cara/IIE-SRF Fellow and visiting researcher at Sociology, University of Cambridge, and Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Languages, Gaza University

This talk examines the concept of “scholasticide” in Gaza, with a focus on the Israeli systematic destruction of Palestinian educational infrastructure, particularly higher education institutions. The aim is to analyse the far-reaching impacts of the targeted attacks, especially those that occurred during 2023-24, on Palestinian society. Specifically, the talk will consider how these assaults undermine education as a critical means for survival, mobility, financial security, and psychological resilience for Palestinians. By exploring the wider implications for Gaza’s academic community and society at large, this talk will highlight the severe challenges facing Gaza’s education sector and propose a vision for the rebuilding and resilience of higher education institutions in the midst of ongoing conflict.

This event is organised by the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, and the Centre for Lebanese Studies (CLS).

Host or Publisher Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre at the University of Cambridge