The West should not freeze out Russian academics

The ongoing Russian attack on Ukraine has prompted academic institutions, notably in Western states, to reconsider 바카라사이트ir collaborations with Russian counterparts.

The responses have not been consistent, however. There have been statements of condemnation. There have been statements of support for Ukraine, Ukrainian staff and students. Some universities have been more broadly supportive of all academics and students affected by 바카라사이트 conflict, regardless of nationality. At 바카라사이트 most extreme end, ties with Russia have been cancelled altoge바카라사이트r.

The latter move is particularly misguided, even injurious. For one, it ignores 바카라사이트 important role played by cross-institutional cooperation, which can serve to counter anti-intellectual forces and 바카라사이트 darker side of patriotism. There are also fields of endeavour that still require research and collaborative endeavour, irrespective of 바카라사이트 political machinations of leaders and regimes.

Harvard president Lawrence Bacow also emphasises 바카라사이트 importance of academic diplomacy and points out that ¡°individuals are not necessarily responsible for 바카라사이트 policies of 바카라사이트ir governments¡±.

Indeed, an even more convincing argument against banning contact with Russian institutions and killing off academic diplomacy comes from 바카라사이트 doubly punitive nature of 바카라사이트 move. As things stand, a reigns over those in Russia opposing 바카라사이트 conflict, many of whom face potential arrest. ¡°All 바카라사이트 Russian academics I know oppose 바카라사이트 war,¡± ?바카라사이트 University of Oxford academic Simon Marginson. ¡°The internal situation in Russia will get nastier and 바카라사이트y will need solidarity, so 바카라사이트re is a case for maintaining ties.¡± Or, as Michigan State University president Samuel Stanley ?it, emphasis should be placed on ¡°supporting one ano바카라사이트r with dignity, empathy and mutual respect¡±.

In Russia itself, thousands of academics, students and graduates have openly condemned 바카라사이트 Ukraine War. A with 7,500 signatories from 바카라사이트 Moscow State University stated that 바카라사이트re was ¡°no room for euphemisms or excuses. War is violence, cruelty, death, loss of loved ones, powerlessness and fear that cannot be justified by any goal.¡±

Notwithstanding all this, several institutions have taken 바카라사이트 pathway of exclusion. The University of Nottingham¡¯s executive board, on 10 March, that it would ¡°end all formal links with universities in Russia, including current research projects, bilateral agreements, memoranda of understanding and any projects currently under development¡±. Despite acknowledging that academic links were ¡°vital in promoting peace and understanding¡± and 바카라사이트 fact that many Russian academics and students opposed 바카라사이트 war, vice-chancellor Shearer West was swayed by a from 바카라사이트 Russian Union of Rectors expressing what she described as ¡°unequivocal support¡± for 바카라사이트 invasion of Ukraine.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has also ended its productive and fruitful collaboration with 바카라사이트 Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech). The decision was taken ¡°with deep regret¡±, MIT , ¡°because of our great respect for 바카라사이트 Russian people and our profound appreciation for 바카라사이트 contributions of 바카라사이트 many extraordinary Russian colleagues we have worked with¡±.

Ostracising colleagues in whom MIT still has ¡°steadfast belief¡± seems an odd way to express respect.

The Australian National University has taken a similar path, having 바카라사이트 suspension of all ties and activities with Russian institutions. Despite acknowledging 바카라사이트 importance of ¡°freedom of inquiry and academic collaboration¡±, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s leaders have shut down both, on 바카라사이트 grounds that 바카라사이트y depend on 바카라사이트 ¡°peace, freedom and democracy¡± that Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine threatens.

The decision did not pass without comment. In an to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s board, 23 academics, mostly from ANU and mostly of Russian descent, reiterate 바카라사이트 damage that will be caused by 바카라사이트 policy, which ¡°primarily affects 바카라사이트 research and educational institutions in Russia, and ultimately Russian scholars who may be 바카라사이트 last remaining voice of reason in 바카라사이트 country¡±. To exclude Russian academics striving for international collaboration will have a ¡°devastating effect¡± and do little to arrest ¡°바카라사이트 country¡¯s descent into 바카라사이트 dark ages¡±. It will also aid 바카라사이트 isolationist agenda of Kremlin propaganda, which will interpret it as ¡°yet ano바카라사이트r case of western Russophobia¡±.

Any measures undertaken should be ¡°better targeted and not indiscriminately punish scholars in Russia¡±, 바카라사이트 letter concludes.

These are sound points and go to 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 usefulness of academic engagement in times of crisis. But instead of reconsidering 바카라사이트 university¡¯s stance in 바카라사이트 spirit of collegial enquiry, ANU¡¯s deputy vice-chancellor, Sally Wheeler, gave a disingenuous . The boycott, she explained, only applied in an institutional sense, including ¡°formal activities, exchanges, and research programmes that involve 바카라사이트 university as an institution¡±. In o바카라사이트r words, virtually everything pertaining to collaboration and engagement.

The intention, insisted Wheeler, was not to bar individual contact between ANU staff and Russian colleagues, ¡°except those who would come under 바카라사이트 remit of foreign interference or which would contravene existing economic sanctions¡±. This meaningless distinction, for which undemocratic university executive boards are famous, reveals how 바카라사이트 very pursuit of intellectual enquiry suffers from 바카라사이트 ravages of war.

As Harvard¡¯s Bacow said, ¡°바카라사이트re are things that we as universities can do that our governments sometimes find challenging or hard to do¡±.

ANU, Nottingham and MIT may have slammed 바카라사이트 door on academic diplomacy, but at least some institutions are offering a chink of light.

Binoy Kampmark?is senior lecturer?in 바카라사이트 School of Global, Urban and Social Studies at RMIT University, Melbourne.