Take the Time to Read about the Lived Experiences of Those We Study

Nov 23

Nov 23 Take the Time to Read about the Lived Experiences of Those We Study

As an International Relations student, we spend hours upon hours reading academic articles from myriad scholars in the field. In most cases, we supplement this with a wider knowledge of the international world by reading, watching, or listening to the news. However, how often do we receive the opportunity to learn about a given topic at the micro level? How often do we read articles from the perspective of the people from the countries that we analyze? Though our modules attempt to diversify the literature we read, it is still very much Western-based (dependent on the module). The scholars I have learnt about that are old, white men make up a long list. I am not here to say that their insight is not valuable, because that isn’t the case. However, there is much value to be gained from reading about the more specific and anecdotal lives of the people, communities, and countries we study. We become far removed from our research subjects and through the study of anecdotal research and journalism, we can see the real lived experiences of those populations and societies we read about from that distance.

I’d like to provide an example of the value of anecdotal work. I study International Relations and Arabic here at the University of St Andrews, and I have had the tremendous opportunity to take modules allowing me to concentrate on the Middle East. I have learnt a great deal about the governments, how they operate, and all the theoretical frameworks behind it. That said, I spend a great deal of time wondering what Arabs have to say about their own governments and societies. What is society like on the ground? I believe they can teach me a great deal about day-to-day life and its impact on the topics that we study at university. I am interested in their agency; how what happens in their home countries affects them and not only the international implications. Again, perhaps this is simply how my courses are structured. However, I prefer to supplement my learning and as people interested in the international community, so should you.

This past summer, I read Our Women on the Ground: Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World edited by Zahra Hankir. It is a collection of stories in which 19 Arab female journalists share their experiences in the Middle East, provide snippets of their works, and detail the people they have met over the course of their careers.

Why do I think this is so important? The book’s summary explains it perfectly: ‘female journalists are working tirelessly to shape nuanced narratives about their changing homelands … [these stories] shatter stereotypes about the region’s women and provide an urgently needed perspective on a part of the world that is frequently misunderstood.’ And as famed international news correspondent Christiane Amanpour stated: ‘without them, the stories of today and tomorrow will remain only partly told.’

The book brings together a vast cohort of women from different backgrounds to speak on range of topics like politics, humanitarian issues, immigration, national security, corruption, civil liberties, and much more. They share underreported stories and tales of notable individuals within their society as well as beyond. They have been shot at, detained, propositioned, threatened, and more. These are powerful and well-spoken women who have acquired a tremendous amount of insight on the countries on which they report.

For instance, Hannah Allam shares the stories of Iraqi women during the Iraq War of 2003. During that time period, over five hundred men died a week leaving their wives to take care of the household (4). About the anecdotal stories shared, Allam said that ‘every time Iraq began to unravel, it was women who worked the hardest to stitch it back together’ (12). They were an integral part of the population that made up the day-to-day life of a war-torn country. The stories and lives of Iraqi women in the context of this conflict is important to bear in mind. They made up more than half of the Iraqi population and played a huge role in the runnings of the country and their communities. Their stories and experiences are part of the history of this conflict. It isn’t only about the battles that happened, but also what happened to the families who lost fathers and husbands. The people walking down the street, waiting for a car bomb to explode. To just learn about the different battles, their dates, and who was fighting against who for what reason, as important as it is, does not provide a complete picture of the conflict and the life of the people experiencing it.

As I read through the book, in the span of one chapter I would cry, have feelings of anger, pride, disappointment, and more. I recognize that as a student of International Relations, in order to produce unbiased reports and insight one must remain detached from the point of study. However, in order to obtain a more complete picture of a conflict, country, people, culture, and/or society, anecdotes are an important source to add to our studies. So, in order to add and elevate our learning, take the time to read about individual accounts. In turn, you will be able to relate it back to a larger context and gain a better grasp on what we study.