From Individuality to Solidarity: Reconceptualizing Selfhood in Armed Conflict

Recorded October 3rd, 2024. A hybrid seminar by Dr Ghaiath MA
Hussein (Assistant Professor in Medical Ethics and Law, School of
Medicine, Trinity College Dublin) as part of the Medical and Health
Humanities Seminar Series. This presentation examines how armed
conflict reshapes the concept of self, particularly in the Global
South. Drawing from his experiences as a medical doctor and his
bioethics background, Dr Hussein will discuss the challenges to
informed consent and individual autonomy in war. His journey began
at the University of Toronto, where he learned that respect for
autonomy and informed consent are vital to ethical practice. These
principles informed her advocacy for bioethics in oppressed regions
like Sudan. However, his views changed when she returned to Sudan
for research on health ethics in conflict zones. Engaging with
those affected by the Darfur war revealed a collective ethos of
trust and interdependence, showing that community well-being often
outweighs individual autonomy in crises. In this talk, he will
outline her thesis research questions and how his understanding of
informed consent shifted from an individualistic model to a
trust-based framework. This new paradigm prioritizes mutual support
and communal resilience in ethical research practices during
prolonged conflicts. He will conclude by advocating for a
trust-based consent model that complements and sometimes replaces
traditional informed consent. This approach addresses the unique
challenges of armed conflict and empowers individuals through
solidarity and collective action, encouraging a reevaluation of
ethical engagement with crisis-affected communities to enhance
their agency and dignity. Learn more at
https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/