Tuesday, 30 August 2022

Jean Monnet Module ESAF

European Societies and Academic Freedom

Versione stampabile

What are the limits to the freedom of those who study, teach and do research in universities? How aware are we of the importance of the principle of academic freedom and of the various factors that can jeopardise it? 

Starting on 19 September 2022, the Jean Monnet Module 'European Societies and Academic Freedom – ESAF' will offer didactic/training and awareness-raising activities aimed at transmitting knowledge and fostering critical reflection, within the academic community as well as within civil society at large, about a wide range of issues encompassing freedom of research, the challenges of teaching and learning in academic contexts, the autonomy of academic institutions, present and past violations of the principle of academic freedom. 

The first didactic activity that will be organised within the framework of the Jean Monnet Module is an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary course entitled "Academic Freedom and Human Rights: European and International Perspectives", organised by the Department of Sociology and Social Research and the Faculty of Law, which will take place during the 2022/2023 Autumn semester. The course will be held in English and it will be open to all BA students, MA students of the Law Faculty, and Erasmus students enrolled at the University of Trento.

The course consists of three units:

  • a theoretical reconstruction of the principle of academic freedom and an overview of its historical evolution;
  • thematic modules exploring specific aspects of contemporary challenges to academic freedom;
  • interactive didactic seminars, that will be carried out in collaboration with the Scholars at Risk network (SAR Italy and SAR International), aimed at involving students in concrete research, monitoring, dissemination and awareness-raising activities on the theme of academic freedom and the consequences of its violations.

Cases of academic freedom violations will be analysed with four focuses:

  • Post-Soviet states (Russia, Belarus and Ukraine);
  • Afghanistan;
  • Europe;
  • Iran.

Within the activities of the Jean Monnet Module, public events where the academic community will meet civil society will be organised, involving internationally renowned experts such as Peter Burke (Cambridge University), Patrizia Guarnieri (University of Florence) and Terence Karran (University of Lincoln).

All information and Syllabus of the course on the dedicated webpage.