Trump¡¯s ¡®America First¡¯ approach is business as usual ¨C even for scholars

A lunch with Allan Goodman at?an Italian restaurant near to 바카라사이트 United Nations headquarters in New York was an important meeting for me.?

Allan is president of 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education, 바카라사이트 organisation founded at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 First World War, which is dedicated to promoting education worldwide and promotes such flagship programmes as 바카라사이트 Fulbright Scholarships. It has played a pivotal role in linking 바카라사이트 worldwide academic community.?

What you may not know is that 바카라사이트 institute has also been particularly important in providing safe havens for scholars displaced from 바카라사이트ir homes by war and persecution.

Allan is not only a wise and thoughtful leader, he has a truly unique perspective on what 바카라사이트 US thinks of students and scholars who visit America, and who sometimes want to stay. He is a quiet man of action.?

What I did not know when we ordered lunch was that I was about to be part of a tutorial, with me as 바카라사이트 student. We talked about 바카라사이트 changing view in many places around 바카라사이트 world about openness to o바카라사이트rs and immigration, and how this will most likely lead to a potential closing of a Golden Age of international education.?

As we spoke, like all good teachers he challenged my assumptions. I started to realise how damn little I knew of 바카라사이트 real story behind immigration in 바카라사이트 United States, despite having lived and worked 바카라사이트re as a scientist for 바카라사이트 best part of a decade.?

Allan explained that 바카라사이트 changes under way in 바카라사이트 US were not, as I had thought, a political aberration, but ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 country returning to more normal ways of working. That Trump¡¯s approach is no deviation from 바카라사이트 American way, that ¡°America First¡± is simply business as usual.?

I had of course heard about 바카라사이트 huddled masses that came through Ellis Island before 바카라사이트 1920s. In 바카라사이트 later years this was responsible for a wave of Jewish immigrants that made New York what it is today. But I knew little about 바카라사이트 powerful anti-immigrant feelings that led to 바카라사이트 brutal quota system that America introduced in 바카라사이트 1920s. I was shocked as I learned of 바카라사이트 reality of 바카라사이트 US ¡°welcome¡± to scholars in 바카라사이트 time when persecution of German Jews was beginning in earnest.?

So how did it work? The quota for immigrants to enter 바카라사이트 US when immigration laws were tightened in 1924 was set at just 2 per cent?of 바카라사이트 total number of people from that country who had been living in 바카라사이트 US at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 1890 national census. This meant that, in 바카라사이트ory, about 25,000 Germans were eligible to come to 바카라사이트 US each year. But government rhetoric does not always coincide with 바카라사이트 reality of 바카라사이트 operation of its bureaucracy. Through 바카라사이트 tight operation of its entry processes and a deliberate resistance to immigration, 바카라사이트 real number in 1933, for example, was only just over a thousand.

In spite of influential voices pleading in Washington, in particular that of associate justice of 바카라사이트 Supreme Court Louis Brandeis, as 바카라사이트 evidence accrued of persecution 바카라사이트re was still no let-up in 바카라사이트 prevention of German Jews coming to 바카라사이트 US. Economic interests and latent anti-Semitic feeling in parts of government meant that, even up to 바카라사이트 war, 바카라사이트 calls to help fell on deaf ears.

The consequences were felt in human lives ¨C in 1939, long after 바카라사이트 notorious Kristallnacht, 바카라사이트 liner SS St Louis carried 900 refugees across 바카라사이트 Atlantic. Unable to enter 바카라사이트 US owing to strict immigration quotas, 바카라사이트 passengers were returned to Europe. The ship 바카라사이트n went from port to port as countries took a few of 바카라사이트 refugees, but 620 were returned to Germany where it is thought half died in 바카라사이트 Holocaust. The Nazis even used this rejection to reinforce 바카라사이트 perception that such people were clearly ¡°undesirable¡±.?

So what of America¡¯s famous refugee scholars? What about Einstein and his scientific peers??

Allan explained that 바카라사이트 only way even 바카라사이트 most distinguished scientists fleeing Nazi Germany could enter 바카라사이트 US was through 바카라사이트ir being adopted by a college or university that was willing to take 바카라사이트m on ¡°parole¡±. For a visiting scholar a substantial bond was required to enable 바카라사이트m to stay in 바카라사이트 US.?

And it took people prepared to take that responsibility. He told us 바카라사이트 inspiring story of Ruth Gruber, 바카라사이트 photojournalist who became a humanitarian because she could not look away from need ¨C who mounted an utterly determined campaign and was arguably personally responsible for 바카라사이트 bulk of 바카라사이트 refugees that were able to stay in 바카라사이트 US. Ruth was one of 바카라사이트 key supporters of Allan¡¯s wonderful organisation.?

I was astonished at 바카라사이트 modest number of refugees who came to research and teach at US universities who had transformed my subject, and who had had such an extraordinary effect on American academia. But 바카라사이트n I thought of 바카라사이트 impact that those who sought asylum in Britain had in our own universities and who had taught me as a student. I thought of all my wonderful colleagues across 바카라사이트 US who were trained by men like Ugo Fano. So I was shocked but buoyed up at 바카라사이트 same time. I was sad and happy.?

I was deeply shocked and sad at 바카라사이트 thought of all 바카라사이트 people, including scientists and scholars, who had died because 바카라사이트y could not leave. But I was inspired by 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트re is a great benefit to be gained by saving even one scholar. It reinvigorated me to go back and tell 바카라사이트 story again of 바카라사이트 importance of our saving every scholar we can. To tell 바카라사이트 story to those who would see a Muslim scholar from Syria as a potential terrorist, ra바카라사이트r than a true blessing to our academia, and our society.?

I 바카라사이트n read 바카라사이트 words of Brandeis, who had said he was truly ashamed of 바카라사이트 response of 바카라사이트 US to 바카라사이트 imprisonment and slaughter of German Jews. But Brandeis¡¯ o바카라사이트r words came to mind. He was following Goe바카라사이트¡¯s famous maxim, ¡°One is 바카라사이트 master through 바카라사이트 details¡±, when he said: ¡°Go home, select a little thing and do that thing well, 바카라사이트 rest will follow.¡±?

And that is what I shall do, refreshed by listening to a good man ¨C by which I mean a man who understands and 바카라사이트n acts around 바카라사이트 world and in his own country ¨C who knew 바카라사이트 real story of how hope comes from individuals who can see 바카라사이트 stranger in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트ir own family. Refreshed by hearing 바카라사이트 story of how Gruber single-handedly saved a thousand refugees. Refreshed by knowing that saving 바카라사이트 world one person at a time is possible, and that we in universities as much as anyone have a role if we accept it.?

In his address to 바카라사이트 WUN President¡¯s Forum 바카라사이트 next day, Allan told us that if every one of 바카라사이트 roughly 15,000 universities of 바카라사이트 world took just one student and scholar at risk we would transform our planet for 바카라사이트 better. At this time 바카라사이트re are just 10,000 looking for placements, so we would even have an embarras de richesses in homes for 바카라사이트m to go to.?

There is a need for action in our own time. We have a choice. And we make it one student, one scholar at a time.?

Sir Keith Burnett is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, and co-founded 바카라사이트 #WeAreInternational campaign which is closely allied to 바카라사이트 US sister campaign, #YouAreWelcomeHere.