4.4 An extreme case of research affecting safety

You might have been aware of news items in 2018 about Matthew Hedges. The news media reported how he was a doctoral student at the University of Durham, UK, researching in international affairs and military policy in the Middle East. Following the Arab Spring, he was interested in civil military relations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Alongside his studies he was also a consultant and a cyber intelligence analyst. He had lived in the United Arab Emirates at different times over the previous decades and had senior level contacts.

Matthew was a few months away from finishing his research when he was arrested, his laptop seized, and he was imprisoned for spying. He maintained his innocence but, while being retained in the UEA, signed a confession. After six months of campaigning by his wife and the British government, he was released after diplomatic intervention on a pardon.

Although extreme, this case study is a true example of researcher vulnerability due to external circumstances. It raises issues of duty of care by the university, prior risk assessment, awareness of political sensitivity and academic freedom of expression.