Webinar: Educational Intervention in Vulnerable Contexts: Case Studies in Palestine, Afghanistan, South Africa, and Myanmar
The Talloires Network and Open Society University Network are pleased to host workshops organized by engaged research scholars as part of the Amplifying the Voices of Engaged Researchers initiative. This community of practice has met regularly to share ideas and strategies for engaged scholarship across geo-political boundaries, create new and lasting ties among engaged researchers, and organize online workshops for engaged scholars around the world.
View the presentations below:
Bridging Gaps in Fragile Contexts (Parami University)
This webinar had a special focus on the well-being of vulnerable groups such as women, children, and refugees. The discussion explored the impact of formal and informal educational intervention programs in mitigating the adverse effects of challenging living conditions on these groups. The webinar covered topics related to individual well-being in different parts of the world. These include: how exposure to conflict-related events affects child behavior in Palestine, the impact of non-physical disciplinary methods on primary school dropout rates in Afghanistan, a community-based model of collective filmmaking pedagogy that familiarizes local youth with accessible animation techniques in South Africa, and bridging gaps in fragile contexts through online courses to further education opportunities in Myanmar
Panelists
Moderator: Sameh Hallaq, PhD, Al-Quds Bard College, Al-Quds University
Sameh Hallaq is an assistant professor in the economics program at Al-Quds Bard College, Al-Quds University. Dr. Hallaq is a Research Associate at Levy Economics Institute at Bard College, New York (USA). He obtained his PhD in economics at the University of Wuppertal, Germany, in 2019. His published research has consistently focused on the theme of "Human Capital," where he explores the determinants of early life intervention: education, health, and well-being, within the Palestinian context: a highly unstable political and economic environment accompanied by a violent conflict. Also, he investigates how these factors shape later life consequences, such as educational attainment, labor market outcomes, wages, and employment.
Participants:
Belal Fallah, Professor, Palestine Polytechnic University
Dr. Belal Fallah is an Associate professor of Economics at Palestine Polytechnic University, Hebron, Palestine. He earned his PhD in Economics in 2008 from University of Saskatchewan, Canada. Dr. Falah has worked as a Director of Research at Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute-MAS. His research interests and expertise cover development economics, policy evaluation, labor economics, and conflict economics. During the past years, Dr. Fallah published a number of papers in international refereed journals such as Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Economic Geography, Labor Economics, Papers in Regional Science, and Annals of Regional Science, Defense and Peace Economics, among other journals.
Yousuf Daas, PhD student, Kobe University
Mr. Yousuf Daas is a PhD student from Palestine with a commitment to advancing education and development economics. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Education, a Master’s of Science degree in Anthropology and Development Studies from KU Leuven, Belgium, a Master's degree in Economics and currently pursuing his doctoral studies at Kobe University under MEXT scholarship, his research interests converge at the intersection of Education Development, Education Economics, and Labour Economics. Daas conducted an internship at the Ministry of Education in Vientiane, Laos, which provided him with firsthand exposure to international educational systems, enriching his perspectives and informing his academic inquiries. Additionally, he did an internship at Bard College at Al-Quds University, which further demonstrated his ability to engage with diverse academic communities and contribute meaningfully to scholarly discourse. His professional experience includes working as a consultant for the European Mission to Palestine, where he played an important role in advising on educational strategies and policies.
Mocke Jansen Van Veuren, University of the Witwatersrand
Mocke Jansen van Veuren is an educator, experimental filmmaker, animator and researcher born and working in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is currently developing a PhD study focusing on community-based digital film and animation pedagogies and filmmaking as social praxis. His artistic work includes collaborations as Video Artist with choreographer and performer Nelisiwe Xaba. Their work Uncles & Angels, performed in over 25 cities worldwide, was awarded the FNB Art Prize in 2013, and Fake N.E.W.S has been developed as a collaborative education and performance platform with iterations in Bonn, Germany, Wits University, Constitution Hill, Cape Town’s Centre for the Creative Arts, and the National Arts Festival between 2019 and 2023. Van Veuren currently works as a lecturer and Deputy Head of Department at the Wits Department of Film and Television, consults for KZN Film Commission, and is an Executive Board Member for Animation South Africa. He develops and runs community-based film and animation education programmes in Kliptown and Eldorado Park as part of the Beehive Culture Worx Collective. He will co-present his research with his colleagues Prince Massingham, Neo Monyamane, and Rashid Juma.
Mia Sasaki, Parami University
Mia Sasaki currently works as faculty of General Education at Parami University. Mia's first years as an educator were with Teach for America, serving as a teacher in an inner-city school. After studying International Education Development at University of Pennsylvania, Mia has had the honor of working with students from across Asia, teaching in Myanmar, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Prior to Parami, she worked as the Academic Lead for American English Myanmar-Parami English Language Initiative. She has published papers on education in emergencies and on migrant learning centers along the Thai-Myanmar border. Mia's work stems from the belief that students can and do shape a better future.
Saw Yan Naung, Parami University
As a teacher at Parami University-Community Higher Education Initiative (CHEI), Saw Yan Naung creates a safe, welcoming, and comforting learning environment that facilitates students to question and grow. His journey in the field of education is marked by a genuine dedication to empowering students with knowledge and skills that extend beyond the classroom. Prior to his role at Parami University-CHEI, he served as a Senior Program Instructor and Program Coordinator in non-profit organizations within Myanmar's education sector. In these capacities, he developed and facilitated courses for youth, coordinated with diverse stakeholders, including tea-shopowners/managers, local CSOs, teachers, and out-of-school children and youth (OOSCYs) from tea-shops/restaurants and underprivileged communities, and set up non-formal education (NFE) and vocational education classes for OOSCYs, contributing significantly to the enhancement of the quality and accessibility of non-formal education in Myanmar. As an educator, Saw Yan Naung believes in the transformative power of education to unlock the potential within each student. As a commitment to continuous learning and professional development, he is currently pursuing an MA in English Language Teaching (ELT) from Thammasat University in Thailand. He is a life-long learner and believes that one should do what one can for the betterment of the community and the world. When not teaching, Saw Yan Naung can be found at home either playing guitar or watching a movie.