FAIHS was founded with the purpose of critically examining and challenging colonialist academic frameworks, particularly in the study of traditionally “otherized” regions. While addressing the ongoing Palestinian genocide remains a shared concern, our participants’ diverse research foci broaden our scope, allowing for methodological and theoretical reconfigurations.

Historically, “Western” scholarship, shaped by colonial biases, has depicted non-European peoples through rigid stereotypes, reinforcing narratives of inferiority and stagnation. These outdated frameworks persist in academia, influencing new generations of scholars and filtering into broader public discourses, where they sustain harmful stereotypes that justify oppression and violence, including ongoing genocides.

Our interest focuses on identifying and deconstructing these biases. By engaging in comparative studies across the humanities and social sciences, we seek to make global academic discourse truly inclusive. We explore the influence of academia on public discourses, producing accessible outputs and organising public-facing events to raise awareness and advocate for ethical scholarship. Ongoing guest lectures encourage dialogue on current events and developments while building academic networks across institutions.

Our goal is not to discard existing knowledge but to refine it, creating a more just and representative approach to global studies.

FAIHS is committed to the Third Mission of academia, as formulated by the University of Vienna: