Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s Post

Can you spot the difference? 2018 - the American Association of University Professors Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure, chaired by Henry Reichman, upholds the organization's 10+-year stance against academic boycott but defends those who support boycott, going so far as to chastise the Israeli government for denying a professor entry to the country because of her support for BDS. This is sensible. The call for boycotts fall under the umbrella of protected speech, but since boycotts are antithetical to academic freedom and open inquiry, inimical to an inclusive and respectful learning community, and ultimately unfairly deny students important and impactful educational opportunities, it makes sense for the AAUP to maintain its organizational stance in opposition to them. 2024 - The Committee, now chaired by Rana Jaleel, reverses course and says that academic boycotts "can be considered legitimate tactical responses." The Committee says that, "boycotts should target only institutions of higher education that themselves violate academic freedom or the fundamental rights upon which academic freedom depends." This is chicanery. Academic boycotts inevitably and inequitably discriminate against, exclude, and isolate individual scholars. The boycott of universities and colleges cannot be meaningfully separated from the faculty and students who work, teach, and study in them. Academic boycotts are therefore more aptly described as a blacklist that punishes individual academics on the basis of their nationality, political views, and the policies and actions of their government. Rana Jaleel knows all of this, but she is doing the bidding of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The kind of activism being practiced by Dr. Jaleel coarsens the discourse on campus and can promote prejudice and hate. Research shows that pro-BDS activism leads to a marked increase in antisemitic incidents and bias reporting on campus. While many well-meaning people gravitate to BDS believing that it offers a means for advancing social justice and peace in the Middle East, the reality is that the movement is reactionary and fundamentally illiberal. I would like to see Dr. Jaleel try to go present her research on "Transnational Queer Materialism" at Al-Quds University or Birzeit University. Boycott would be the least of her problems there. The blindness is maddening and the antisemitism swimming just under the surface is downright scary. Even without Dr. Jaleel's formal stamp of approval for academic boycott, Israeli and Jewish scholars have been targeted and ostracized. The Academic Engagement Network and Faculty Against Antisemitism Movement are fighting back! https://lnkd.in/eE6gSMx4

I'm glad this issue is finally starting to get some attention outside the higher ed trades. Regardless of your political persuasion, you should be very, very alarmed. The American Association of University Professors had for many years opposed academic boycotts as an infringement of academic freedom. According to a former chair of the AAUP Committee on Academic Freedom, "The whole idea of boycotting academic institutions in order to defend academic freedom is utterly wrongheaded.” Seems like a no-brainer, huh? Not anymore. In an Orwellian turn, the AAUP has now reversed course, suddenly claiming that academic boycotts can "can legitimately seek to protect and advance the academic freedom and fundamental rights." What exactly prompted this 180-degree turnabout of a decades-old position? Was it Russia's invasion of Ukraine? Iran's long history of documented human rights abuses? China's? Nope. You guessed it. Israel. "The AAUP leadership has admitted as much, saying that 'Academic boycotts, it seems, cannot be thought about apart from the polarizing geopolitics of Palestine and Israel.'” The AAUP sold out the principle of academic freedom in order to give license to boycotts of Israeli universities and professors. Academic boycotts inevitably harm individual scholars who had no role in (and often oppose) Israel's policies vis-a-vis the Palestinians, and so are a form of the very "collective punishment" Israel's detractors accuse it of committing. Indeed, as Northwestern School of Law's Steven Lubet, a harsh critic of Netanyahu, writes: "The tragic irony of the new AAUP position is that it will surely be used to promote the boycott of Israeli universities, which happen to be the most liberal, peace-oriented, and integrated institutions in the country. ... As the Polish psychology professor Michał Bilewicz wrote in the Chronicle of Higher Education, 'Academic boycotts hurt dissidents most.'” The AAUP should be absolutely ashamed of itself for sacrificing principle for the sake of(self-defeating) politics. If, someday, there are academic boycotts of institutions that, for example, provide access to abortion services on campus (as is mandated for public universities in California), what principled basis would the AAUP have for condemning them? It's almost as if the anti-semitic impulse to single out Israel is overriding any principled stand on what academia is supposed to be about--academics. "Almost." All views my own. https://lnkd.in/ghvmZYdH

"AAUP Faces Criticism for Reversal on Academic Boycotts" (Inside Higher Ed) August 16, 2024 "On Monday, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) announced it had abandoned its long-held, categorical opposition to academic boycotts. ... The group (also called in February) for a ceasefire in #Israel and #Palestine." "In 2005, the AAUP—which writes widely adopted policies defining and safeguarding academic freedom—spoke out against a proposed academic boycott of two Israeli universities. Such boycotts involve scholars and scholarly groups refusing to work or associate with targeted universities. In the ensuing two decades, the AAUP maintained its opposition to academic boycotts against any universities in any country. That’s now changed, after votes by its Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure and its national council—both of which the group said were unanimous. The AAUP’s new policy says that 'when faculty members choose to support academic boycotts, they can legitimately seek to protect and advance the academic freedom and fundamental rights of colleagues and students' who face violations of their rights. It goes on to say that 'in such contexts, academic boycotts are not in themselves violations of academic freedom; rather, they can be considered legitimate tactical responses to conditions that are fundamentally incompatible with the mission of higher education.'" "The AAUP’s new statement (says) 'faculty members and students should not face institutional or governmental censorship or discipline for participating in academic boycotts, for declining to do so or for criticizing and debating the choices' of others. Boycotts, it says, 'should target only institutions of higher education that themselves violate academic freedom or the fundamental rights upon which academic freedom depends.'" "Like the ACLU and other civil liberties groups ... AAUP’s membership is politically engaged. ... In this historical moment, there’s real interest among politically activist academics in taking part in the boycotts, divestment and sanctions (#BDS) movement against Israel. ... Collective action of all sorts does not necessarily come into and undermine academic freedom." "Criticism has arrived from social media, conservative media, pro-Israeli groups (e.g., the Academic Engagement Network, a pro-Israel faculty and administrator organization -- ed.) and ... Cary Nelson, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor emeritus who was the AAUP president from 2006 to 2012. ... (Nelson) has long criticized what he calls the group’s 'anti-Zionist' shift (and) started an (international) petition Thursday against the AAUP’s policy change." "Nelson wrote in The Chronicle of Higher Education this week that 'we must no longer use AAUP policy as the gold standard for academic freedom.'" https://lnkd.in/gCun4cRy

The American Association of University Professors reversed the position on academic boycotts that they have held since the release of their 2006 report. The old report (https://lnkd.in/gvhVpSXM) stemmed from a controversy in the British academy in which a boycott of two Israeli institutions was called for on the grounds that they "were acting to further a state policy likened to apartheid." The 2006 AAUP report adopted a position against academic boycotts in the name of academic freedom. Announcing its position, AAUP reached back to the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure to establish continuity of a principled commitment to academic freedom, concluding that "the search for truth and its free expression suffer if a boycott is in place." That report has just been replaced by the 2024 Statement (https://lnkd.in/gE7cBdYR), which makes note of AAUP's "complex history" of positions on the matter by citing campus strikes, divestiture during South Africa's apartheid era, and institutional neutrality during the Vietnam War. Of those examples, they elaborate only upon apartheid, pointing directly to Mandela's advocacy for boycotts. The decision to ignore campus strikes and Vietnam in order to focus on apartheid South Africa is no accident. On Aug. 14, a federal district court judge issued an injunction against UCLA in response to a lawsuit that alleges Jewish students were targeted and prevented from accessing campus on the basis of their faith. The organizations responsible for barring Jewish students from campus buildings continue to call for boycott and divestment of anything Israeli on the grounds that (among other things) Israel is allegedly an apartheid state. AAUP's new position encourages faculty to support campus activities that the federal courts suspect of violating students' constitutional protections, and which evidently block access to the university to a constitutionally protected class. AAUP has turned away from its commitment to academic freedom, which the institution itself connects back to the principled positions it adopted in 1940. By so doing AAUP risks prioritizing political activism over the freedom of inquiry in pursuit of truth that has long been the guiding light of the academy. For those interested in preserving the academy as an institution that prioritizes free and safe inquiry for all, an open letter in opposition exists which you may wish to sign: https://lnkd.in/gmFQYgYx 

Statement against the Boycott of Israeli Academics May 14, 2024 We, scholars from the humanities and social sciences, though not exclusively from these fields, are deeply concerned about the increasing isolation of our academic colleagues in Israel. Calls for boycotts against Israeli academic institutions are not new, but since the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7th and the subsequent Israeli-Hamas War, these calls have taken on a new dimension. On April 12, 2024, the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz published an article based on interviews with over 60 Israeli scholars and reported an astonishing range of discriminatory practices. These include the termination of scientific collaborations, cancellation of conference invitations, refusal to consider scholarly submissions to journals, rejections of promotion evaluations, and withdrawal of offers for academic appointments, among other instances. Regardless of how each of us currently analyzes the situation on the ground and evaluates the actions of the Israeli government and army, we want to make clear that we stand against all forms of boycotts targeting Israeli scholars and Israeli academic institutions. We firmly advocate for cooperation and continued work with them. We are also convinced that the gradual, often subtle exclusion of Israeli scholars contradicts fundamental principles of professional comportment and academic freedom. Moreover, an academic boycott against Israel is counterproductive regarding internal Israeli debates as well as Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, as Barak Medina argued in his essay Is it Justified to Boycott Israeli Academia? We strongly believe that international exchange – especially in troubled times like these – is essential for maintaining an open and global academic community. The alarming trend of excluding Israeli scholars from international academic discourse requires unequivocal response on our part. We, the undersigned, call on scholars to stand in solidarity with our Israeli colleagues on this critical issue. Para firmar: https://lnkd.in/dSGejP6D

Reflecting on the increasing calls for academic boycotts of Israeli universities, I think it's important we step back and consider the implications carefully. Academic boycotts are a blunt instrument that can easily undermine the core principles universities should uphold - open discourse, diverse perspectives, and opportunities for dialogue across conflicts. By severing ties and excluding Israeli scholars, we inevitably lose out on valuable voices and avenues for bridging divides through collaborative research. It's also concerning that the boycott movement seems to single out Israeli institutions specifically. As members of the global academic community grappling with our own complicated histories, we know all too well that human societies face deep complexities. Ultimately, Israeli academia could be a vital component in fostering greater understanding - but only if we maintain partnership and engagement. Cutting off those ties would be detrimental to efforts towards peace and reconciliation. In academia especially, where we are trained to appreciate nuance, we must be cautious of overly simplistic judgments and punitive actions that could further inflame tensions. The path forward requires nuanced, open dialogue that compels Israelis and Palestinians alike to resolve this conflict peacefully. I welcome your thoughts on how we as scholars can best uphold our principles and facilitate dialogue, even amidst seeming intractable conflicts. The role of universities has never been more important.

ICYMI | The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has dropped its nearly 20-year-old categorical opposition to academic boycotts, in which scholars and scholarly groups refuse to work or associate with targeted universities. The reversal, just like the earlier statement, comes amid war between Israelis and Palestinians. In 2005, near the end of the second intifada, a Palestinian uprising, the AAUP denounced such boycotts; the following year, it said they “strike directly at the free exchange of ideas.” That statement has now been replaced by one saying boycotts “can be considered legitimate tactical responses to conditions that are fundamentally incompatible with the mission of higher education.” The new statement doesn’t mention Israel, Palestine or other current events—but the timing isn’t coincidental. The new position says that “when faculty members choose to support academic boycotts, they can legitimately seek to protect and advance the academic freedom and fundamental rights of colleagues and students who are living and working under circumstances that violate that freedom and one or more of those rights.” Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/3M5wOFu

Statement against the Boycott of Israeli Academics May 14, 2024 We, scholars from the humanities and social sciences, though not exclusively from these fields, are deeply concerned about the increasing isolation of our academic colleagues in Israel. Calls for boycotts against Israeli academic institutions are not new, but since the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7th and the subsequent Israeli-Hamas War, these calls have taken on a new dimension. On April 12, 2024, the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz published an article based on interviews with over 60 Israeli scholars and reported an astonishing range of discriminatory practices. These include the termination of scientific collaborations, cancellation of conference invitations, refusal to consider scholarly submissions to journals, rejections of promotion evaluations, and withdrawal of offers for academic appointments, among other instances. Regardless of how each of us currently analyzes the situation on the ground and evaluates the actions of the Israeli government and army, we want to make clear that we stand against all forms of boycotts targeting Israeli scholars and Israeli academic institutions. We firmly advocate for cooperation and continued work with them. We are also convinced that the gradual, often subtle exclusion of Israeli scholars contradicts fundamental principles of professional comportment and academic freedom. Moreover, an academic boycott against Israel is counterproductive regarding internal Israeli debates as well as Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, as Barak Medina argued in his essay Is it Justified to Boycott Israeli Academia? We strongly believe that international exchange – especially in troubled times like these – is essential for maintaining an open and global academic community. The alarming trend of excluding Israeli scholars from international academic discourse requires unequivocal response on our part. We, the undersigned, call on scholars to stand in solidarity with our Israeli colleagues on this critical issue. https://lnkd.in/dXXPW3fM

One of the few things I admire about America is its free speech, First Amendment rights. Unfortunately SCOTUS has not yet taken a stand on the state law intrusions on free speech referred to in the article. "The Arkansas regulation is part of a disturbing trend by state governments to silence speakers on subjects including race, gender, slavery and American history. The measures they have imposed restrict both academic freedom — the freedom to explore ideas and pursue research independently, without interference by the state — and freedom of expression more broadly. Americans may disagree about boycotts as a matter of policy. (This editorial board doesn’t support boycotting Israel.) But as an act of protest, support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement falls clearly within the realm of free expression protected by the First Amendment. Arkansas and more than two dozen other states have enacted laws that prohibit state contractors from engaging in a boycott. These laws are abridging the speech of those individuals, groups and companies, and so represent a violation of their constitutional rights. In 1982, the Supreme Court unanimously agreed that nonviolent political boycotts were protected speech and could not be prohibited by government officials. Several federal judges have made that point about the laws targeting Israel boycotts, and a few states have weakened their laws as a result." When States Try to Take Away Americans’ Freedom of Thought https://lnkd.in/giH8QaEZ (Subscription may be required) #israelboycott #freespeech

I am increasingly concerned about the trend among many of my academic colleagues to endorse positions about the current war in Gaza without any thoughtful consideration of the complexity of that event or attempts to check facts before speaking. The notion that there are only two perspectives- either 100% for or 100% against Israel’ s current actions already betray a clear lack of effort to use any of their training as scholars and apply that to an understanding of current events. There are for example clearly many Israelis who do not back the current government and Palestinians who have no use for Hamas.  This thoughtless approach on the part of too many academics has now brought on a call for boycott of Israeli universities. There are many reasons that such a boycott is unfair and blames a class of persons, many of whom are themselves critics of the current policies of the Israeli government, for events rather than asking how academics around the world can support freedom of expression and find collaborative ways of showing support for who are trying to build a community of scholars who are committed to understanding across national boundaries and ideological perspectives. In that effort, signing the petition (link below) against an academic boycott of Israel is an important step in showing solidarity with others who, whatever their political beliefs, continue to believe that scholarship itself creates a community where we have obligations to each other that when honored helps build beyond ethnic and national loyalties to a community of the mind. https://lnkd.in/dJnZ9H6F