Leicester University of Sanctuary

04/03/2026

As part of the University of Leicester’s Breaking Barriers Refugee Week Series, and in collaboration with our new Empathy Fortnight, we will be holding a webinar (free and open to all) on the topic of Responding to Gaza: Sanctuary, Silence and Selective Empathy at 13:00 to 14:30 (UK time) on Monday 9 March.

Speakers: Prof Roberto De Vogli (University of Padova) and Dr Khawla Badwan (Manchester Metropolitan University)

Gaza has been referred to in many quarters as 'the moral litmus test of our time'. Despite the scale of the killing and destruction in the Strip since October 2023, and the detailed documentation and sharing of information about widespread violations of international humanitarian law unfolding in real time, this appears to be a test that the world has badly failed.

In this webinar, we will hear from two academics who have been exploring international responses to this unfolding catastrophe (نكبة) over the past two years from different disciplinary perspectives – Prof. Roberto De Vogli and Dr Khawla Badwan.

From the fields of psychology and critical social sciences, Prof. De Vogli will draw on research from his recently-published book, Selective Empathy: The West through the Gaze of Gaza, which uncovers the workings of the moral and emotional double standard, based on a widespread dehumanisation of Palestinians, which has made it possible for the genocide in Gaza to continue unabated for so long.

This will be followed by a talk from Dr Khawla Badwan, who will draw upon insights from her upcoming book in the field of Applied Linguistics, Still Gaza: Language in Times of Unspeakability. Khawla will explore the role of language as a form of bearing witness, collective responsibility, critical education, and ethical action, especially when it is abused as a tool for silencing, oppression, intimidation, and manipulation to cover up for the crime of all crimes in Gaza.

There will be time for questions and discussion towards the end of the session.

For more information and to register, please visit: https://le.ac.uk/cite/sanctuary-seekers-unit/events/breaking-barriers-refugee-week

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03/03/2025

Breaking Barriers Refugee Week starts today! It's not too late to register for our free online online events via our dedicated webpage: https://le.ac.uk/cite/sanctuary-seekers-unit/events/breaking-barriers-refugee-week

This year's events include:
Monday 3 March - Beyond Welcome: Sanctuary and Solidarity (discussion panel with Dr Nick Gill, Dr Mike Chick and Maryam Taher)

Tuesday 4 March - Distance Learning Sanctuary Scholarships: Best Practice and Considerations (with Dr Helen Dexter & Dr Zeenat Sabur)

Wednesday 5 March - Supporting HE in Palestine: One Year On (with Aleks Palanac, Prof Shameq Sayeed, Mahmoud Mushtaha, Jacqueline Shoen & Maxim Sansour)

Thursday 6 March - Ukraine Support: Three Years On (staff and students from the University of Leicester, Kings' College London and twinned universities in Ukraine)

Friday 7 March - Researching Refugeedom 2025 - three research presentations, which are:
o ‘I don’t like them to know I’m Syrian’: Family language policy amongst Syrian refugees in Turkey – Dr Mohammed Ateek, University of Leicester
o Navigating the “Climate Refugee” Nomenclature: How to Explain Displacement in an Ever-changing Environment? – Carla Field, University of Leicester
o Refugee Background Students - Access and Participation in UK Higher Education – James Moran, University of Westminster

University of Leicester Sanctuary Seekers' Unit Breaking Barriers Refugee Week programme of events and recordings.

14/02/2025

The University of Leicester's yearly refugee week - Breaking Barriers - will be taking place from Monday 3 to Friday 7 March 2025.

Check out our full programme of events on our dedicated webpage: https://le.ac.uk/cite/sanctuary-seekers-unit/events/breaking-barriers-refugee-week

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