Threatened Scholars: Political Exile Felix Kaputu Connects with Communities Locally and Globally

This is the final installment in a series of profiles of fellows participating in OSUN’s innovative Threatened Scholars Integration Initiative, which supports writers, researchers, teachers, and intellectuals who have fled authoritarian governments in their home countries.

Originally a professor at Lubumbashi University in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Felix Kaputu was illegally imprisoned by government security forces in 2005. Wrongly accused of plotting to overthrow his country’s government, he now believes he was arrested in an attempt to silence academics and intellectuals like himself in the run-up to national elections. Facing 30 years in prison or a death sentence if convicted, Kaputu went into hiding and eventually decided to leave DRC. 

Now unable to return to DRC, Kaputu has served as a lecturer in the US, Japan, Belgium, and Poland before being awarded an OSUN Threatened Scholars Integration Initiative fellowship. As a TSI scholar, he serves as a Visiting Faculty in Literary Studies and Social Studies at Bard College Simon’s Rock in Massachusetts, in the US.

TSI offers fellowships to OSUN scholars, writers, and teachers who are forced to leave their home countries due to threats from authoritarian regimes or other types of persecution related to their work or identity. The initiative offers fellows a haven and a place to integrate into the local community while they pursue their work. The program also benefits students and faculty at the host institution, giving them valuable exposure to the various global perspectives and stories that visiting fellows provide.  

Now in his third year at Simon’s Rock, Kaputu says it has been a very productive period for him. “This has been a very good experience,” he says. “I’ve had time to teach, read, write, publish my research, and get another doctorate.” 

He says he particularly enjoys teaching OSUN courses because they address large audiences worldwide. "For someone far from home, it’s like an opening to the continent and the entire globe,” says Kaputu. “I find I’m not only connected to people on campus, but also to students and organizers from all over. And thanks to the magic of the media, I am more connected to scholars worldwide, including those from my country."

Kaputu says that his students’ hunger for knowledge is a significant benefit for him. “Their desire to talk and have discussions virtually is so impressive and attractive.” 

He also notes that the welcoming environment of the host institution has been crucial to his sense of wellbeing. “Not only do I feel like I am part of the body educating and teaching students but I am also truly a part of the college community here. This makes me feel like I’m not away from home and the people and things I was used to,” he adds. “I can’t imagine what would have happened without this opportunity to both survive and thrive academically.”

TSI provides crucial support for scholars, such as Kaputu, who are experiencing harsh conditions that threaten their academic freedom and sometimes their lives. OSUN congratulates Kaputu and all of his TSI colleagues on their resilience and their ongoing commitment to higher education in all parts of the world.

Post Date: 11-28-2023