The University of Rojava and the Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis (ASCA) are pleased to announce the launch of a series of collaborative research seminars in March and April 2025. These seminars, designed in the form of hybrid sessions, aim to foster a dynamic intellectual exchange by bringing together students and scholars from Rojava and Amsterdam. The main purpose is to engage participants in a critical dialogue that bridges the theoretical frameworks of (Western) critical thought with the unique experiences and insights of the Rojava Revolution. In addition, to build a constand collaboration in the future.

The emergence of abolitionism as a pivotal framework in critical theory in recent years, particularly in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, has emphasized the need to rethink state-inflicted violence. Parallel to this, the Rojava Revolution and the profound societal transformation it upholds has introduced groundbreaking epistemic practices to reimagine safety and self-defence beyond state-centric paradigms of violence. This transformative vision is exemplified by the intellectual contributions of jinology and the establishment of community-oriented safety initiatives such as the Asayish. With the aim of envisioning a transnational exchange of knowledge that bridges activism and academia to develop insights into building less violent societies, we will organize five joint online  seminars. Our seminars rely on an in-depth engagement with foundational texts from key proponents of these movements, such as the works of Abdullah Öcalan and Angela Davis. In addition to active readings and discussions, our seminars will also foster collaborative creative outputs, encompassing essays, interviews, and artistic works. These contributions will be documented and made publicly accessible through a dedicated archival platform.

The seminars will take place every week Mondays, 8.30-10.30 h Amsterdam Time, starting March 3rd. All sessions take place in the Oudemanhuispoort, OMHP, D 1.18B. The last session will be on April 7th. The seminar is open to MA students and PhD candidates. For Research Master students in philosophy, it is possible to receive credits as a tutorial; other students please inquire about possible credits. Please send a registration with a short motivation letter by February 10th to o.l.talbot@uva.nl. You will be informed shortly thereafter whether your application can be confirmed. Active engagement and interest are expected, previous knowledge of the situation in Rojava and/or abolition theory are an advantage.

This seminar is organized by Leila Faghfouri Azar, Safae El Khannoussi El Bouidrin, Daniel Loick, Shahin Nasiri, Abdulkerim Pusat, and Oscar Talbot, in collaboration with our partners from the University of Rojava.