Post doc profile: Paved with good intentions

by Nicole Findlay

Championing the underdog more often than not is equated with altruistic heroism. But what happens, when good intentions have dire adverse consequences for the individuals embroiled in conflict?

Gada Mahrouse, a SSHRC post doctoral fellow in the department of Sociology and Anthropology is examining the impact of transnational solidarity activism. The term describes individuals from Western nations who physically intervene in conflict-charged situations, at times complicating the very situations they are attempting to diffuse.

Working with her mentor and supervisor, Nahla Abdo, professor of sociology, Mahrouse is conducting interviews with Palestinian community leaders and activists, to document how Western interventions are perceived by some of those who are being “protected”.

“I wanted to do this post-doc under the supervision of Professor Abdo because I knew I would benefit greatly from her expertise on the politics of resistance and solidarity in Palestine,” said Mahrouse.

While she concedes members of Western societies are ethically and morally obligated to intervene in global conflicts, her research charts the fine line activists walk between offering support and imposing their own value systems on other cultures, in their attempts to help. She will also examine the rise in popularity of “reality tours” which cater to Western tourists seeking more ethical and authentic alternatives to travel.

The research she is conducting with Abdo, complements her doctoral work which examined the issue from the perspective of western activists working with international solidarity movements and organizations.

“My study revealed that even the most committed and critical of activists are easily scripted into the roles of ‘the white saviour’ in ways that reinforce rather than challenge power relations, despite some of the activists’ careful vigilance,” said Mahrouse.

The combination of these two perspectives may lead to new approaches to solidarity activism that strips away imperialist relations – allowing both sides to focus on the work at hand.