DOXA: student democracy, university and society in Russia and Norway

Illustrasjons-/bannerbilde for DOXA: student democracy, university and society in Russia and Norway

DOXA, the winner of the Student Peace Prize of 2023, is visiting UIT The Arctic University of Norway. DOXA is a student-run independent media writing against war, inequalities and dictatorship in Russia.  In the five years of their existence, they have been part of the university but also forced out of the university and politically persecuted. In Norway, on the contrary, student involvement in university politics and political matters is strongly encouraged. 

 

We hereby invite to a panel discussion on the role of the universities in fostering political awareness, creating political visions, and supporting political activity. Come and listen to DOXA and the Student Parliament at UIT in discussion with UITs rector Dag Rune Olsen, head of department, municipality politician and Russia expert Åsne Ø. Høgetveit, and researcher and veteran in the local student politics Magnus B. Andersson.

DOXA started in 2017 as a student newspaper at the Faculty of Humanities at Higher School of Economics in Moscow. Volunteer run and  without any hierarchical or centralised structures, DOXA grew bigger within a short time and started to cover issues of interest to the wider university community. They arranged academic and social events, invited distinguished scholars, intellectuals, and politicians, debated urgent political and social matters, wrote about injustices and discriminations in the university system. 

 

In the end of 2019, DOXA lost its status as a university organisation. In 2021, after publishing “They can’t beat the youth”, a video explaining why students cannot be expelled from university for participation in political demonstrations, four of DOXA’s editors were sentenced to house arrest for one year.  Today, DOXA is an independent media writing against war, inequalities and dictatorship. They publish a daily newsletter, offer support to politically persecuted students and academicians, and provide advice on how to cope with the gloomy everyday life.  

 

In Norway, we have a long tradition of students’ involvement in university politics. There are institutionalised and clearly defined structures and mechanisms for student participation in political matters and university management.  This makes a sharp contrast with DOXA and its flat and decentralized structure run by a network of volunteers. We shall discuss what forms of political engagement are most efficient today. What are the societal needs for the future in Russia and in Norway?  How can the universities meet these needs?

 

Welcome and meet: 

 

Aleksandra Guliaeva, Ekaterina Martynova og Nikita Kuchinskii, DOXA

  • Dag Rune Olsen, rector UIT 
  • Jonas Toft, president of the student parliament at UIT  
  • Åsne Ø. Høgetveit,  head of department (AHR), municipality politician and Russia expert
  • Magnus B. Andersson, researcher and veteran in the local student politics

 The meeting will be moderated by Petia Mankova, associate professor at AHR 

 

 

When: 10.02.23 at 10.00–11.30
Where: Ardna, UIT
Location / Campus: Tromsø
Target group: Employees, Students, Guests
E-mail: petia.mankova@uit.no
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