Welcome to the University of Erfurt, Alejandra Ortiz-Ayala!

For our research blog "WortMelder", we spoke with the "academic outsider", as she calls herself - about her career, the importance of conflict studies and why it is important to ask uncomfortable questions.

Today, when Alejandra Ortiz-Ayala walks through the streets and small alleys of Erfurt's old town, she not only marvels at the charming architecture, but also realises again and again how lucky she is. For a child of a single mother from the global South, it is not a matter of course to hold an academic leadership position abroad. And certainly not for a Colombian woman who grew up during the civil war and in a highly developed class society. Ortiz-Ayala, however, has managed to do just that, against all odds. "For my mother" is written above her doctoral dissertation, because on the one hand she owes it all to her mother, who sensitised her to the political dimensions of her country from an early age, and on the other hand to the privilege of having mentors and friends as supporters. "If you want a good education in Colombia, you have to be able to pay for it. We don't have a state system for that like in Germany. If you come from the lower classes or belong to a certain ethnic group, your chances of getting into a prestigious university are very slim. If you make it, you have to work harder than the others - and you need people who believe in you," the political scientist explains from experience. In a "joint effort", she finally succeeded in being admitted to the entrance test of a university, passed it and enrolled. Not for law, as one might expect from a justice-loving person, but for political science. "I wanted to understand the political system, how it works and how it should work, who is part of the system and what the relationship between citizens and politics is. And then to be able to contribute through that knowledge, that was my drive."

 ...with clear research questions in mind

While others enjoyed student life, she not only worked on the side, but also swotted up on English, because unlike her fellow students who went to international schools, she was not allowed to learn it since childhood. She also quickly became a research assistant in her subject area and worked on public opinion projects. "My mother always said to me, 'You can't just become one of many graduates, you have to stand out. Find something that makes you special!'". For Ortiz-Ayala, it quickly became clear: that was science. "I quickly fell in love with policy research and have loved collecting and analysing data ever since, whether qualitative or quantitative." She was determined to continue pursuing this love of science after graduation. But to increase the chances of a good academic career, going abroad is a necessity for most Colombians. So it was back to cramming English, earning money as a lecturer and consultant, and applying for PhD positions around the world on the side - all with clear research questions in mind that have stayed with her ever since she worked as a consultant for the Colombian military during peace negotiations between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia: How to change the mindset of soldiers after years of violence? How to tell them that it is time for peace? That the enemy must now be "embraced" because a reintegration process is beginning? How can this be done with soldiers who have been trained for many years to kill others? "I was almost obsessed with these questions. And these are very relevant questions, not only in Colombia, but in various conflicts. If peace were to come again between Ukraine and Russia, for example. What narratives do we actually use to justify violence? If we know that, we can understand peace and see how to bring it about."

We are the ones who intervene, provoke confrontations and call for dialogue.

The National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies in Otago, New Zealand, finally gave Alejandra Ortiz-Ayala the chance to explore these questions of global dimension in a dissertation – based on data she collected during a four-month field experiment among Colombian state fighters. A woman from the global south now getting involved in the male-dominated field of security and military research? Again, she perceived herself more as an outsider, says Ortiz-Ayala. But she also stands out, just as her mother always wanted for her, and is made for the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of Erfurt. Here she can continue to pursue her research on the relationship between the security sector, the state and citizens, as well as her second object of study, displacement and (internal) migration and the accompanying structural violence in the form of racism and discrimination, and share her experiences with the students who come to Erfurt from all over the world. Her topics are globally relevant and the Colombian not only wants to raise her own voice in the debates that have taken place or are yet to be initiated, but also to encourage her students to do so. "Conflict researchers are the ones who ask the uncomfortable questions," she says, laughing. "We are the ones who intervene, provoke confrontation and demand dialogue. A conversation about peace, doesn't always have to be peaceful, so even studying can be very emotional and challenging. I hope students are willing to engage in complicated, confrontational issues. Of course, I will try to make it fun for them anyway. But they have to realise one thing: If we want to live in a peaceful society, we also have to have difficult conversations. It will be uncomfortable, but it will be worth it."

This uncomfortableness that Alejandra Ortiz-Ayala's work entails, and the necessary self-reflection that always comes with it, have accompanied her everywhere so far. "My head is actually working non-stop. But I have resolved to finally take care of myself here in Erfurt. It's a great privilege, financially and in terms of time. Going to the gym, eating more consciously, salsa dancing, getting to know Erfurt and the people here even better – I'm looking forward to that just as much as I am to working with the students and colleagues at the Brandt School." With this in mind: bienvenido a la Universidad de Erfurt!

original article on the WortMelder blog (in German)