The Moral Responsibility of Social Researchers in Times of Intractable Conflicts and Eroding Human Rights: The Need for Radical Hope

This paper examines the moral responsibility of social researchers in contexts marked by eroding human rights and intractable conflicts. It argues that traditional models of value-neutral scholarship are insufficient in settings where injustice becomes normalized and collective suffering is prolonged across generations. Drawing on the concept of radical hope, the paper proposes a reorientation of social research toward ethically engaged, reflexive, and future-oriented practice. Radical hope is presented as both a conceptual and practical framework that enables researchers to continue acting despite uncertainty, while preserving the possibility of social transformation and the restoration of human rights. The essay outlines key responsibilities of social researchers, including bearing witness, reframing research questions toward peace and justice, engaging in transformative praxis, and maintaining reflexive accountability. Using bibliometric data, the paper further highlights the limited application of radical hope within social research in the Middle East and North Africa despite the region’s prolonged exposure to conflict, displacement, and human rights violations. Ultimately, the paper argues that social researchers cannot remain observers in contexts of ongoing humanitarian crises, but must instead contribute to the creation of ethical and hopeful futures.