Europe, the MENA region and knowledge production

Abstract

ABSTRACT Knowledge production is one of the most important elements of human interaction. It shapes identities, determines policies, and reflects the understanding of borders and geographies. For instance, how Europe and the MENA region perceive one another depends largely on who creates the discourse, and under which disciplines these discourses are elaborated. For centuries, however, discourse creation has been regulated by neoliberal and patriarchal interests. Such (super-)structures frame how these regions are represented, leading to colonial assumptions, biased knowledge and objectifying research. We argue that knowledge of Europe and the MENA, its creation and diffusion should be critical and horizontal practices, moving towards deterritorialization and decolonisation. Not to succumb to a ‘regional’ hierarchy of global North/South, we need to reflect on the positioning of researchers, acknowledging the liminality of identities, to appreciate the dynamic nature of boundaries, and to revisit various elements of knowledge production as language, freedom of movement, and funding.