Robbins Lecture 2024

The weaponisation of collective moral injuries in Africa

By Assala Khettache (Aberystwyth University, UK)

Monday 14 October 2024
In person and online

The enduring legacies of colonialism, systemic violence and political instability in Africa have inflicted deep moral injuries that extend beyond the individual, permeating the collective consciousness of entire communities. This lecture explored the often-overlooked collective dimensions of moral injury in Africa, examining how they manifest through cultural artifacts, narratives and the lived experiences of various communities.

Building on her doctoral research and fieldwork, Assala traced the ways in which collective moral injuries are inflicted, transmitted across generations and strategically manipulated. She introduced the concept of weaponising collective moral injuries, demonstrating how actors—such as Russian Private Military Companies—exploit these deeply rooted wounds to fuel cycles of betrayal, resentment and disempowerment for their own gain.

This lecture encouraged a critical examination of the weaponisation of moral injuries, advocating for culturally informed strategies that empower communities to resist exploitation, reclaim their agency and transform these wounds into pathways for collective healing.

About our speaker

Assala Khettache is a doctoral candidate in International Politics at Aberystwyth University, researching the exploitation of local African communities by Russian private military companies. Her research, grounded in fieldwork, blends insights from psychology, sociology and international relations, positioning moral injury at the heart of her interdisciplinary approach. Trained at the Shay Center for Moral Injury, Assala is particularly dedicated to exploring how moral injury is perceived and experienced across diverse African communities.

Fluent in six languages, Assala deeply engages with the people and cultures she studies, enriching her research through meaningful connections. Her passion for this field is driven by personal experience with moral injury.

Assala’s academic journey began with a BA in international relations, where she graduated as national valedictorian in Algeria. She then completed her MA at the Social Sciences University of Ankara. In 2021, she was awarded an Erasmus fellowship at King’s College London’s Defence Studies Department. Beyond academia, she consults for the Royal United Services Institute and chairs the Postgraduate Network of the British International Studies Association. Previously, Assala led an international research project on the Libyan crisis and worked as a youth mentor, helping teens from economically disadvantaged backgrounds access educational and employment opportunities.

If all the relevant permissions are granted, we will put the recording of the lecture on our YouTube channel in due course. We will let our mailing list know if and when it is available.