Re-thinking the relations between knowledge and power from the perspective or resistance studies

On 15 December 2016, MSM Assistant Professor in Governance and Human Rights Nora Stel presented at the conference Resistance(s) Between Theory and the Field. The conference, organized by the Université Libre de Bruxelles and presenting renowned professors James C. Scott and Stellan Vinthagen as key note speakers, had the aim to advance the emerging field of Resistance Studies.

It intended to stir an international debate on the concept and understanding of ‘resistance’ in its various meanings and manifestations. Among 32 other contributions, Nora presented a paper titled ‘Ignorance as Resistance? How Palestinian Refugees in South Lebanon Cope with Intentional Institutional Ambiguity.’ The paper, based on Nora’s doctoral research and a previous publication in Antipode, explores to what extent techniques of deliberate disinformation, stalling and ignoring can function as coping mechanisms of marginalized communities facing hostile authorities. As such, the paper links to Nora’s previous work on informal institution building and creative coping mechanisms among Palestinian refugee communities in Lebanon and resonates with her blog posts on victimhood versus agency and the institutional sidelining of refugees.

Resistance(s) Between Theory and the Field