24/04/2026
“When scholars withdraw from debate, avoid topics, or leave academia, knowledge itself is reshaped,” says Lund.
Navigating online violence in the research community was the topic of discussion when editors, Alberta Giorgi and Hande Eslen-Ziya, together with contributing authors Elisabeth Engebretsen Lund and Ozan Felix Sousbois, met at the library to present their new book “(Un)Silencing Academia in Times of Epistemic Conflicts”.
According to Professor Elisabeth Engebretsen Lund, pressure, harassment, delegitimization, and digitally amplified hostility from a range of actors contribute to self-censorship among vulnerable researchers. Thereby, putting valuable knowledge at risk of being lost.
Postdoctoral researcher Ozan Felix Sousbois talk about his experience within the research community as a gay man. “I experienced stress, anxiety, and emotional tiredness. I was constantly aware of how I was perceived and how I should respond. Because of this, I argue that research ethics should not only focus on participants, but also on the well-being of the researcher. Something we do not really think about.”
Through a series of empirical case studies, the book maps out possible countermeasures to create a more resilient academic environment.
The book is available online in Oria
