 |
2010年11月 月次レポート（エルジュルディ?シリーン イギリス）
Shirine El Jurdi
November Report- London/SOAS- JSPS/ITP/2010
In November I got somehow more acquainted with the basic things that one should know to live in London. I was still attending the classes which started in October. However, I was able to attend in addition to the lectures, a tutorial on gender theories. The tutorial is different from the lecture. Whereas in the lecture, the professor will explain the main concepts and arguments of the topic; the tutorial, is where the students make presentations which are followed by discussion and analysis by the colleagues in class and the mediated by the professor. I had meetings with Dr. Laleh Khalili, a mentor at SOAS, where we developed the research and she observed what I was up to.
Furthermore, it was interesting to see the mobilization of the students against the cuts and the expected increase in the tuition fees to be supported by the teachers as well. The students stayed at a hall in one of the buildings facing the main building, and called it, the Occupation. For me, it was mixing two terminologies for different purposes. Coming from a conflict area, where we are fighting occupation, made me think that the different terminology should be used. However, I was then informed about the history of the word within the British student activities context, where students were able to get what they wanted. It is interesting that, one workshop that I was attending in SOAS on the Palestinian issue, was re-located to be held at the Occupation area in support of the student activism.
Apart from that I was able to attend lectures and seminars on peace-building without using the word peace: NGOs' strategies of reputational management during the peace to war transition in Sri Lanka 2006-7; Ten Years of Security Council 1325 - reflections on the relationship between theory and action in feminist theories, Feminism, violence, and methodological militarism: New faces of post-nationalist feminism in Turkey. What is interesting is a seminar that I attended at the Agha Khan University, and where Professor Werner Menski, who used to be a visiting scholar in TUFS developed a theory "the Flying Kite" based on the work of Japanese anthropologist (If I am not mistaken he is Chiba sensei) research.
I got the chance to meet with the Lebanese ex-Prime Minister Fuad Saniora where I conducted an interview with him on the Lebanese political system and the participation of women. Last but not least, it was very interesting to see the staff of OFIAS in London as well and I take this opportunity to thank them for the tremendous livelihood help.