Paper short abstract:

I will reflect on my work as an Israeli-Dutch academic and activist who studies the Israeli security sector critically. I will explore how I have navigate my roles as an academic researcher and in my political work against the military occupation and atrocities Israel perpetrates.

Paper long abstract:

In this paper, I will reflect on the questions and dilemmas regarding ethics and positionality during my career as an anthropologist and activist. I will draw from my experiences as an Israeli-Dutch academic who studies the Israeli military and its security industry critically. I will explore how I have navigate my roles as an academic researcher and activist in my political work against the military occupation of Palestine and the current atrocities Israel perpetrates in Gaza and Lebanon. My academic work is deeply political, inherent to my subjective positionality as an anthropologist.

Questions that come up in my work are, for example, those concerning my positionality vis-à-vis my respondents. I’m a critical ‘left wing’ researcher who is studying people whom I strongly disagree with. As a social scientist, on the other hand, I also have a responsibility towards my research participants/informants. What does this mean for my methods?

Important here is also my experience as an outspoken activist. I am part of a group of critical Israelis who oppose the occupation. I see my academic work in a certain way as an extension of this political work. I will look at the ways that we as engaged researchers can combine political advocacy with thorough academic work. An additional issue of importance is the engagement in the public debate as academics. I will give examples of how I try to combine my academic work on the military and the security industry in Israel with political work that informs a wider public.