Community

Migrants/Direct Provision

Dr. Rob Grant and Prof. Aislinn O’Donnell had been in discussions with Lucky Khambule, a South-African former asylum seeker and activist in Ireland, and co-founder of the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) group. Lucky is a great believer in the value of philosophical dialogue for everyone, no matter their social, economic, or political context, and so we set up a group in Direct Provision. 

During lockdown, 2019, we created a group online due to social distancing rules, but this allowed participants to join from Direct Provision Centers across Ireland. For 8 weeks we ran weekly sessions with 6-8 members attending on a consistent basis.

Organised by Lucky Khambule, Aislinn O Donnell, Dr. Robert Grant, and sessions facilitated by Rob and Aislinn.

Key Aims:

• Create a radically equal space where the contributions of all participants was equally valued and responded to.

• Foster a cross-cultural sense of connection through universal philosophical themes.

• Invite participants into a practice of open reflection where underlying assumptions and beliefs could be brought to the surface and explored.

• Show philosophy can be an accessible and energizing form of human expression and activity, particularly for those for whom academic education is not currently attainable.