The Union of Research Professionals on Friday awarded researcher and author Timo R. Stewart as the Academic of the Year 2025, said the union in a press release.
The justifications for presenting Stewart with the award stated that he has been clear and tireless in introducing into public discourse research-based knowledge about a socially and politically challenging conflict.
Stewart, 45, has specialised in the conflict between Israel and Palestine, European and US Middle East policy as well as religious nationalism.
He is a Doctor of Social Sciences in political history. He has worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) and is a highly-valued, liked and visible media commentator on the situation in Gaza.
Stewart’s statements have offered the Finnish audience research-based viewpoints in a situation where finding common ground has been challenging even for the Finnish Government.
“Timo R. Stewart’s research-based, open and clear communication has been very welcome in a situation where public social and political discourse has been extremely divided and difficult. He has not shied away from bringing a researcher’s critical observations to the discussion. It is not always easy due to the smear campaigns and harassment aimed at researchers and experts”, said Antti Pajala, President of the Union of Research Professionals.
“The war in Gaza created a great need for interpretations of fast-moving and highly dramatic developments. I have done my best to provide the public with a research-based analysis that is also founded on an understanding of the region’s political reality. What has helped me is that my work has, for several years, focused on various conflicts, and this one in particular, and that I have researched the Western ideas connected to it. It feels good that my work has been recognized and is appreciated”, Stewart said.
The Academic of the Year award is worth 5,000 euro. The Union of Research Professionals has handed out the Academic of the Year award since 1997 to a socially active research professional.
- Timo Stewart
- Academic of the Year
- Award
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
