De-weaponising Identities and Education in Crisis

The manipulation of identity in crisis has been, and continues to be, a significant driver of violence in human societies - a tendency that is described as “identity weaponisation” by some.

There is limited understanding on how educational engagement with identity relates to and can transform structural roots of conflict.

The Hindukush and Himalayan region

This project intends to bring together 20 cross-disciplinary scholars and practitioners working on armed conflict and disaster-affected contexts, with particular focus on the Hindukush and Himalayan region*, in a two-day workshop at UCL.

This workshop aims to develop the necessary research methods, analytical and strategic tools to counter manipulation of identity in crisis contexts.

*The Hindukush-Himalayan mountain ranges across Afghanistan, Northern Pakistan, Northern India, China, Tajikistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

• Dr Laila Kadiwal, PI - IOE
• Professor Peter Sammonds, Co-investigator - Institute for Disaster and Risk Reduction, Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• Dr Kusha Anand, Research Assistant - IOE

It is expected that the project will produce:

• a literature review on identity in crisis
• a conceptual methodological paper 
• a blog
• a podcast, and
• a peer-reviewed journal article.