Hidden Research stages stories and conflicts about academic freedom experienced by endangered and displaced scholars worldwide. The performances are based on interviews with researchers and key themes distilled from these conversations, which are then shaped dramaturgically into dialogues. By bringing these theatrical dialogues into public spaces, the project creates points of contact with the anonymous, personal experiences of the scholars. 

The theatrical performances are based on close cooperation with thematically relevant research projects from the humanities, social sciences and theatre studies, structural projects in the field of science management at the Berlin University Alliance, and researchers concerned with challenges of and threats to academic freedom. 

Key knowledge producers

Producers of the research and knowledge in Hidden Research are the scholars at risk, coming from various locations in terms of positionality and origin, who have shared their testimonies, expertise and precious time under oftentimes more than challenging circumstances; and who have continued to provide us with feedback, critical interventions and comments throughout. 

Furthermore, research partners were and are the students taking research ethics classes at the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, who come from a variety of BA and MA programs (e.g. Asian and African Studies, Gender Studies, Global History, Global Studies and International Relations) and different walks of life. 

Artists and communication

Aldo Spahiu is the art director of the project. He brings the leitmotifs of Hidden Research experiences in the form of dramaturgical dialogues to the stage, together with the actors Sanni Blodt, Constantin Gerhards, Luise Grell and Meltem Teper, the musician Paolo Possidente, and the costume designer Fabrizio Pompei. Maria Almeida was responsible for the project communication.

Academic lead

The project is carried out in close collaboration with the BUA-funded project co2libri (Conceptual Collaboration – Living Borderless Research Interaction) with Andrea Fleschenberg as academic coordinator for Hidden Research and key contributions by co2libri PIs Rosa Cordillera A. Castillo, Lina Omran, Wesam Amer, Clod Yambao, among others. co2libri is a transregional, interdisciplinary network of researchers, artists, and scholar-activists dedicated to rethink Global North-South research collaborations for a more decentred, inclusive and decolonial understanding of knowledge production and exchange. co2libri aims to contribute to an alternative practice of theorizing, research methods and research ethics (see: Fleschenberg, Kresse, Castillo, 2024).

Project coordination

The Berlin Center for Global Engagement, coordinating this project with Sarah Wessel as project lead of Hidden Research, serves as the platform of the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) for promoting research collaboration with the “Global South” – referring to countries that occupy a marginalized position in global science production – as well as advancing academic freedom and fostering science diplomacy. The BCGE plays a key role in connecting diverse (inter-)disciplinary, regional and country-specific expertise, necessary for global scientific cooperation and contributing to the creation of a more equitable and safe global research landscape.

Partners

The project was also supported by the excellency cluster Contestations of the Excellence Cluster SCRIPTS, the Center for Comparative Research on Democracy (CCRD) at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Academics in Solidarity (AiS) at Freie Universität Berlin, the BUA Objective 2 Fostering Knowledge Exchange, the BUA Forum on Diplomatic Resilience. and many scholars, science managers and students.

Funding partner

Hidden Research was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF — now BMFTR) as part of the 2024 Science Year – Freedom, and has been continued since 2025 with support from other sources.