Latest news with #academicFreedom
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Has the US cancelled free speech?
Why are US professors suing to challenge the Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestine activism? Several groups of professors in the United States are suing the Trump administration over its policy of arresting, detaining, cancelling visas, and deporting students who participate in pro-Palestinian advocacy. The crackdown on free speech is creating a chilling effect across US academia, argues Jamil Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which is one of the organisations that brought the lawsuit. Jaffer tells host Steve Clemons that the issue is much wider than the rights of non-citizens in the country. The government's actions have the effect of 'stifling a political viewpoint that the government doesn't like'.
The Guardian
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘The American system is being destroyed': academics on leaving US for ‘scientific asylum' in France
It was on a US-bound flight in March, as Brian Sandberg stressed about whether he would be stopped at security, that the American historian knew the time had come for him to leave his home country. For months, he had watched Donald Trump's administration unleash a multipronged attack on academia – slashing funding, targeting international students and deeming certain fields and even keywords off limits. As his plane approached the US, it felt as though the battle had hit home, as Sandberg worried that he would face reprisals over comments he had made during his travels to the French media on the future of research in the US. 'It makes you think about what your status is as a researcher and the principle of academic freedom,' he said. 'Things have really changed … The entire system of research and higher education in the United States is really under attack.' Soon after, he became one of the nearly 300 researchers to apply for a French university's groundbreaking offer of 'scientific asylum'. Launched by Aix-Marseille University, the programme was among the first in Europe to offer reprieve to researchers reeling from the US crackdown on academia, promising three years of funding for about 20 researchers. Last week, Sandberg was revealed as one of the 39 researchers shortlisted for the programme. 'The American system is being destroyed at the moment,' he told the 80 reporters who turned up to meet the candidates. 'I think a lot of people in the United States and as well as here in Europe have not understood the level to which all of higher education is being targeted.' As reports began to emerge of funding freezes, cuts and executive orders targeting institutions across the Atlantic, institutions across Europe sprang into action, announcing plans to lure US-based academics. At Aix-Marseille University, hundreds of applications came in from researchers tied to institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Nasa, Columbia, Yale and Stanford. Three months after they launched their programme – named Safe Place for Science – the university said it had received more than 500 inquiries. It was a glimpse of the 'historic' moment the world was facing, said Éric Berton, the university's president. 'More than 80 years ago, as France was under occupation and repression, America welcomed exiled researchers, offering them a helping hand and allowing them to keep science alive,' he said. 'And now, in a sad reversal of history, some American scientists have arrived in France in search of a space for freedom, thought and research.' Last week, the university opened its doors, allowing reporters to meet a handful of the Americans who were in the final running to join the programme. As high-profile battles play out between universities such as Harvard and the White House, all of them asked that their institutions not be named, citing concerns that their employers could face reprisals. Some declined to speak to the media, while others asked that their full names not be used, offering a hint of how the Trump administration's actions are sowing anxiety among academics. 'The worry is that we've already seen that scientists are being detained at the border. Granted they're not US citizens, but they're even saying now that if you speak out against the government, they will deport you,' said a biological anthropologist who asked to be identified only as Lisa. 'And so I don't need anything against me at the moment until I can officially move here with my family.' Together the researchers painted a picture of a profession that had been plunged into uncertainty as the US government slashes spending on research grants and dismantles the federal institutions that manage and hand out funding. Months into Trump's second presidency, politics is increasingly blurring into academia as the government works to root out anything it deems as 'wokeism' from the post-secondary world. 'There's a lot of censorship now, it's crazy,' said Carol Lee, an evolutionary biologist, pointing to the list of terms now seen as off-limits in research grant applications. 'There are a lot of words that we're not allowed to use. We're not allowed to use the words diversity, women, LGBTQ.' Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion While the swift pace of change had left many nervous about what may lie ahead, many were not taking any chances. 'People are moving, for sure,' said Lee. 'A lot of top people have already moved to China. And China is laying out the red carpet. If people are getting an offer from Canada, people are moving to Canada.' For Lisa, the biological anthropologist, the reality of dismantling her life in the US and moving her husband, a schoolteacher, and their two kids across the Atlantic was starting to sink in. 'It's excitement, but it's nerve-racking,' she said. She knew she had to get out when it became clear that Trump had won a second term. Months later, she has found a potential path to do so, but is still wrapping her head around all that taking part in Aix-Marseille University's programme would entail. 'It is a big pay cut,' she said. 'My kids are super gung-ho. My husband is just worried that he won't find a job. Which is my worry too, because I don't think I'll be able to afford four of us on my salary.' But for her, and several others on the shortlist, the view was that there were few other options. 'It's a very discouraging time to be a scientist,' said James, a climate researcher who asked that his full name not be used. 'I feel America has always had a sort of anti-intellectual strain – it happens to be very ascendant right now. It's a relatively small proportion that doesn't trust scientists, but it's unfortunately a very powerful segment.' His wife had also been shortlisted for the same programme in southern France, leaving the couple on the brink of uprooting the lives and careers they had spent decades building in the US. 'I have very mixed feelings,' he said. 'I'm very grateful that we'll have the opportunity, but really quite sad that I need the opportunity.'
Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
‘Woke' university accused of no-platforming academic over Israel views
A 'woke' university has been accused of no-platforming an academic over his pro-Israel views. Prof Eric Kaufmann was invited to participate in a debate with other professors by the Cardiff Academic Freedom Association (CAFA) at the city's university last month. However, a coalition of Left-wing groups organised a protest over his attendance, accusing him of being a 'genocide apologist'. As a result, CAFA was hit with a £1,300 bill by university officials to cover the costs of security for the event. Prof Kaufmann criticised the university's decision as 'cowardly', saying it was 'horrible' to charge the group. 'Basically, it's a spineless administration,' he said. 'They are trying to no-platform people whilst claiming they are not no-platforming people. This is a classic example of no-platforming. We are all told woke is dead, but clearly it's not.' The Canadian professor of political science at the University of Buckingham has been accused of being a 'genocide apologist' over his views on the Israel-Gaza conflict. In a recent post to X, he wrote: 'A number of things can be true at once: 1) Hamas are violent terrorists; 2) Many Palestinians support Hamas for tribal reasons, against their interests; 3) Israel has the right to defend itself, but; 4) Israel is committing atrocities and must rise above to end spiral of violence.' In response to CAFA inviting Prof Kaufmann to debate, groups including Cardiff Stop The War Coalition, Caerdydd Students for Palestine, Europe Palestine Network, Stand Up 4 Palestine and Black Lives Matter Cardiff organised protests. In a poster circulated on social media they wrote: 'Eric Kaufmann calls student protest a threat to free speech – but he uses his platform to excuse genocide in Palestine and smear student voices as anti-Semitic. 'He talks about 'cancel culture' but denies mass slaughter. He defends 'debate' while vilifying dissent. We're here to call him out and to show that our free speech matters too. Join the protest.' Irrespective of the protests, Prof Kaufmann was unable to attend the event for personal reasons. However, CAFA still had to pay the security bill of £1,341.12 on top of room hire at £300. University of Oxford professors Nigel Biggar, from the Faculty of Theology and Religion, and Naomi Waltham-Smith, from the Faculty of Music, and Prof Jo Phoenix, a professor of criminology from the University of Reading, attended the debate. Prof Alice Sullivan, a gender critical academic and professor of sociology at University College London, who authored a report concluding that UK universities have failed to protect gender-critical academics from bullying and career-threatening restrictions on their research, also criticised Cardiff University. 'That's a pattern of behaviour from Cardiff,' she said. 'They [CAFA] are not an external group. Universities should be facilitating academics to hold these kinds of events, not putting barriers in their path.' A CAFA spokesman said that its members 'have been the subject of extreme threats' and confirmed that the Free Speech Union met the charge of more than £1,600, enabling the debate to go ahead. They added: 'For the second year running, Cardiff University imposed a disproportionately high charge for room hire and security. We are disappointed with this decision. As far as we are aware, this is not common practice in British universities and, in our opinion, it does not help advance academic freedom at Cardiff University.' A Cardiff University spokesman said: 'CAFA is strictly independent of the university. It is not affiliated to the university. This is confirmed on their website. Therefore, any request to book a room at the university for a CAFA event would be managed by the university's conferencing and events team as it will be considered as an external event not as an internal university event. 'The university conferencing and events team discuss costs, invoicing, organisation, logistics and will liaise with other university teams such as compliance and risk, campus security, room bookings, as to the specific requirements required to run the event. 'This is done in accordance with our code of practice on freedom of speech and our event and external speaker policy. The speakers, organisation and management of the event – including any associated costs like additional security – would be for CAFA to manage. 'This was made clear to CAFA on both occasions they've held speaking events at the university. CAFA agreed to abide by the expected standards of conduct set out in our code of practice and meet all the associated costs. 'The university will not unreasonably refuse to allow events unless a conflicting legal provision is identified as a reason to refuse or restrict an event. In line with our commitment to freedom of speech we have a duty to enable challenging issues to be discussed provided it's done within the law, and with respect and tolerance.'
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
UK universities have failed to protect gender-critical academics, report finds
UK universities have failed to protect gender-critical academics from bullying and career-threatening restrictions on their research, according to a report. The report, by Prof Alice Sullivan of University College London, recommends that students and staff 'taking part in freedom-restricting harassment should face consequences commensurate with the seriousness of the offence'. Sullivan said her report 'raises stark concerns about barriers to academic freedom in UK universities. Researchers investigating vital issues have been subjected to sustained campaigns of intimidation simply for acknowledging the biological and social importance of sex.' The report said the updated Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, which comes into force in August, will uphold researchers' rights in England, and calls for similar mechanisms in other parts of the UK. The report's evidence pre-dates the UK supreme court's April ruling on biological sex. A government spokesperson said: 'We are taking strong action to protect academic freedom and free speech, which are fundamental to our world-leading universities. 'This includes introducing new duties on universities to ensure they are robust in promoting and protecting free speech on campus. It also comes alongside the firm steps the Office for Students is already taking, through fines and new guidance, to ensure universities remain beacons of academic freedom.' Sullivan's other work includes a review commissioned by the previous Conservative government and published in March 2025 of barriers to research on sex and gender. The latest report's call for evidence received 140 responses, the majority from people agreeing with gender-critical views – defined as a belief that biological sex is unchanging and should not be conflated with gender. Sullivan blamed increasing layers of management and an insecure career structure for reducing academic autonomy, making researchers more vulnerable to internal and external pressures. 'Excessive and cumbersome bureaucratic processes have exacerbated the problem by providing levers for activists to exert influence. Academic institutions need to examine their policies and processes carefully to avoid these unintended outcomes,' she said. 'When fundamental issues cannot be investigated or debated openly, this undermines our academic institutions, it hurts individuals and it compromises the integrity of research. The suppression of research often harms the very groups that activists claim to support.' The report said: 'The decline of democratic academic governance means that, in most universities, the majority of academics engaged in teaching and research have little say or voice in how their universities are run.' It recommends that universities help students to see 'robust disagreement as an opportunity for intellectual growth rather than a threat'. They should also 'avoid directing staff or students to mental health support resources in response to the presence of views with which they disagree'. Many of the submissions detailed how research involving sex and gender was opposed or downgraded by other staff or administrators. It also included examples where Sullivan was targeted, including a planned talk that led to a one-day conference being cancelled in 2020. Kathleen Stock, the professor of philosophy who resigned from the University of Sussex after protests and hostility from other academics, submitted detailed evidence on the three-year campaign of opposition she experienced for her gender-critical views. Stock revealed a catalogue of abuse on campus and social media dating back to 2018, escalating to protests in autumn 2021 that she described as 'a sustained campaign of intimidation' that led to her resignation. A spokesperson for Universities UK, representing vice-chancellors, said: 'In practice universities are bound by law to protect the free speech of individuals who have very different views on contentious topics. They are required both to allow and facilitate protest, and to prevent that protest creating an intimidatory or chilling environment on campus or from preventing staff and students from pursuing their work and studies. 'We will carefully consider this report as part of our work in supporting universities as they navigate these difficult issues.'
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
UK universities have failed to protect gender-critical academics, report finds
UK universities have failed to protect gender-critical academics from bullying and career-threatening restrictions on their research, according to a report. The report, by Prof Alice Sullivan of University College London, recommends that students and staff 'taking part in freedom-restricting harassment should face consequences commensurate with the seriousness of the offence'. Sullivan said her report 'raises stark concerns about barriers to academic freedom in UK universities. Researchers investigating vital issues have been subjected to sustained campaigns of intimidation simply for acknowledging the biological and social importance of sex.' The report said the updated Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, which comes into force in August, will uphold researchers' rights in England, and calls for similar mechanisms in other parts of the UK. The report's evidence pre-dates the UK supreme court's April ruling on biological sex. A government spokesperson said: 'We are taking strong action to protect academic freedom and free speech, which are fundamental to our world-leading universities. 'This includes introducing new duties on universities to ensure they are robust in promoting and protecting free speech on campus. It also comes alongside the firm steps the Office for Students is already taking, through fines and new guidance, to ensure universities remain beacons of academic freedom.' Sullivan's other work includes a review commissioned by the previous Conservative government and published in March 2025 of barriers to research on sex and gender. The latest report's call for evidence received 140 responses, the majority from people agreeing with gender-critical views – defined as a belief that biological sex is unchanging and should not be conflated with gender. Sullivan blamed increasing layers of management and an insecure career structure for reducing academic autonomy, making researchers more vulnerable to internal and external pressures. 'Excessive and cumbersome bureaucratic processes have exacerbated the problem by providing levers for activists to exert influence. Academic institutions need to examine their policies and processes carefully to avoid these unintended outcomes,' she said. 'When fundamental issues cannot be investigated or debated openly, this undermines our academic institutions, it hurts individuals and it compromises the integrity of research. The suppression of research often harms the very groups that activists claim to support.' The report said: 'The decline of democratic academic governance means that, in most universities, the majority of academics engaged in teaching and research have little say or voice in how their universities are run.' It recommends that universities help students to see 'robust disagreement as an opportunity for intellectual growth rather than a threat'. They should also 'avoid directing staff or students to mental health support resources in response to the presence of views with which they disagree'. Many of the submissions detailed how research involving sex and gender was opposed or downgraded by other staff or administrators. It also included examples where Sullivan was targeted, including a planned talk that led to a one-day conference being cancelled in 2020. Kathleen Stock, the professor of philosophy who resigned from the University of Sussex after protests and hostility from other academics, submitted detailed evidence on the three-year campaign of opposition she experienced for her gender-critical views. Stock revealed a catalogue of abuse on campus and social media dating back to 2018, escalating to protests in autumn 2021 that she described as 'a sustained campaign of intimidation' that led to her resignation. A spokesperson for Universities UK, representing vice-chancellors, said: 'In practice universities are bound by law to protect the free speech of individuals who have very different views on contentious topics. They are required both to allow and facilitate protest, and to prevent that protest creating an intimidatory or chilling environment on campus or from preventing staff and students from pursuing their work and studies. 'We will carefully consider this report as part of our work in supporting universities as they navigate these difficult issues.'
