Universities as Sites of Resistance and Repression | Savo Heleta and Mario Novelli | FreshEd #416

In this critical examination of higher education under siege, Savo Heleta from Nelson Mandela University and Mario Novelli from the University of Sussex explore how universities worldwide are navigating unprecedented attacks on academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and scholarly inquiry. From the deliberate targeting of Palestinian universities in Gaza to the militarization of US campuses and the incarceration of academics in Turkey and India, their research reveals a global pattern of systematic assault on higher education institutions. Drawing from their co-edited special issue with Helen Murray, Birgul Kutan, Samia Al-Botmeh, and Sardar Saadi, "Supporting and Learning from Universities in Times of Conflict," Heleta and Novelli argue that we are witnessing both the end of the post-9/11 neoliberal phase and the emergence of new forms of cultural warfare where universities serve as battlegrounds for competing visions of knowledge, power, and social transformation. Their work demonstrates how solidarity networks among scholars can provide both resistance and resilience, while exposing the racialized politics that determine which conflicts receive international support and which remain invisible. 📚 KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED: • Scale and scope of attacks on universities in global conflict settings • Universities in active warfare: Gaza, Sudan, Iran and the Gulf region • Post-neoliberal transitions and the militarization of higher education • Student movements as sites of resistance: from Colombia to South Africa • The politics of academic solidarity and racialized support systems • Institutional responses to legitimate student activism and protest • Long-term impacts of structural adjustment on higher education systems • Building networks of mutual learning and cross-border academic support ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction and context setting 02:43 Historical patterns of universities under attack globally 04:43 Current conflicts and strategic targeting of educational institutions 12:13 Post-9/11 transitions and geopolitical shifts in higher education 16:51 Specific mechanisms of attack on higher education systems 22:53 Navigating higher education in conflict: Colombia case study 26:40 Student activism and institutional responses in South Africa 30:07 Politics of solidarity and racialized support for universities 33:17 Closing reflections on dignity and speaking out 👤 ABOUT THE GUESTS: Savo Heleta is a research associate with the Chair for Critical Studies in Higher Education Transformation at Nelson Mandela University. Originally from Bosnia, Heleta brings firsthand experience of conflict and displacement to his scholarship on higher education in crisis settings. His work focuses on decolonization, transformation, and the politics of knowledge production in African higher education, with particular attention to how universities respond to student activism and social movements. Mario Novelli is Professor in the Political Economy of Education at the University of Sussex, where his research examines the intersection of education, conflict, and development. He has extensive experience working with universities in conflict zones, including leading student delegations to Colombia during civil conflict and developing solidarity partnerships with Palestinian institutions facing scholasticide. --- 🎙️ LISTEN TO FRESHED: 🌐 Website: https://freshedpodcast.com/heleta-nov... 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4w9r6KB... 📱 CONNECT WITH FRESHED: Twitter: @FreshEdPodcast Website: https://freshedpodcast.com --- 💡 ABOUT FRESHED: FreshEd is a weekly podcast exploring critical questions in education research, policy, and practice. With 400+ episodes featuring leading scholars from around the world, FreshEd examines comparative education, higher education policy, international development, critical pedagogy, and educational futures. Hosted by Will Brehm. #Education #EdPodcast #HigherEducation #UniversitiesInConflict #AcademicFreedom #StudentActivism #Scholasticide --- FreshEd is an editorially independent podcast. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or producers.