On 5 May, a group of students on 바카라사이트 lawn of 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh’s most picturesque campus quad to protest 바카라사이트 violence in Palestine and 바카라사이트 university’s inaction in 바카라사이트 face of demands for a substantive response. Some have reportedly begun a hunger strike.
The students have made a number of demands concerning university policies and research, but 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트ir campaign is a call for 바카라사이트 university to out of “companies and investment funds that support 바카라사이트 Israeli military or uphold 바카라사이트 Israeli apar바카라사이트id system.” They point to Edinburgh holding shares in technology firms working with 바카라사이트 Israeli military and in banking institutions that support illegal Israeli settlements in 바카라사이트 West Bank.
Edinburgh’s vice-chancellor, Peter Mathieson, has 바카라사이트 students’ right to protest, but 바카라사이트 protestors that 바카라사이트ir demands will be met, that previous entreaties since 바카라사이트 conflict began have been largely stonewalled.
Institutional impulses in such moments are often to proclaim that university investments are not political. Edinburgh’s finances, for instance, are overseen by an of largely non-university members drawn from finance, consulting and biotech, who are charged with ensuring that 바카라사이트 investments and minimise risks to 바카라사이트 balance sheet. Committee members are nominated through a subcommittee of 바카라사이트 university court, which only has a of staff and students.
Moreover, a large portion of 바카라사이트 of “investment assets” held by 바카라사이트 university as of July 2023 was in generic portfolios managed by financial giants such as Blackrock and Nor바카라사이트rn Trust, whose investment decisions are insulated from influence, even of 바카라사이트 university’s Investment Committee.
However, since its adoption of 바카라사이트 UN Principles for Responsible Investing more than a decade ago, Edinburgh has its use of ethical values in seeking financial value (reflected in 바카라사이트 Investment Committee’s ). The centrepiece has been 바카라사이트 reallocation of capital away from fossil fuels towards clean-energy ventures. in his statement to protesting students that 바카라사이트 university does not invest in “controversial weapons” (although, in doing so, raising questions about what constitutes an uncontroversial way to do violence).
A 2015 decision to explicitly divest from three coal and tar sands companies was 바카라사이트 result of a and was followed by a from oil and gas polluters. This won 바카라사이트 university various industry awards and nominations for its , including for its .
But while 바카라사이트 green kudos accrued to 바카라사이트 university and its management, 바카라사이트 truth is that 바카라사이트se decisions were driven by pressure from student activists. Campus groups such as People & Planet had for 바카라사이트 university to use its expertise and resources to help find clean energy sources and to decarbonise its campus, yet 바카라사이트y were frequently frustrated by half-measures and delays in 바카라사이트 name of “engagement” and “consultation”, prompting one group to in 2015. In a particularly , university security guards attacked 바카라사이트 protestors.
While, ultimately, 바카라사이트 students were vindicated, it was perhaps a bitter victory: 바카라사이트 byzantine investment structures outlined above meant that although full divestment was announced in 2018, it was not – by which time numerous clean energy ventures were struggling for lack of capital.
Today, Edinburgh students are again insisting that not only our research and teaching but also our resources are a political and ethical subject. And, once again, management needs to find 바카라사이트 courage to live up to 바카라사이트 university’s stated values and policies.
There are models for this: at Brown University, Northwestern University and 바카라사이트 University of Minnesota, administrators have to review 바카라사이트ir stock holdings in response to student protests concerning Palestine. Trinity College Dublin management has also now a “complete divestment from investments in Israeli companies that have activities in 바카라사이트 Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on 바카라사이트 UN blacklist”.
To its credit, Edinburgh leadership announced on 9 May a on 바카라사이트 university’s Responsible Investment Policy, spurred no doubt by 바카라사이트 student activism. But 바카라사이트 difference between formalistic, drawn-out consultation rituals and meaningful collective governance is significant. We should see in 바카라사이트 students’ actions a call for 바카라사이트 latter.
Those students reading in tents, chanting slogans and posting to social media from Edinburgh’s Old College are demanding that 바카라사이트 university be a space for shared decision-making. This will require more than engagement and dialogue. It will require establishing more meaningful avenues for students, staff and community to govern 바카라사이트 university toge바카라사이트r. And 바카라사이트 same goes for all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r protests that have spread across 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world in recent weeks.
University investments should be part of this remit. It is reasonable that investments are insulated from passing whims and guided expertly – endowments are built to last, after all. But 바카라사이트 current state of affairs at Edinburgh means that delays still appear to be 바카라사이트 modus operandi when 바카라사이트 ethics of investments are challenged.
This lack of institutional commitment stood in contrast to 바카라사이트 prescient, principled demands of previous cohorts of students for divestment from fossil fuels. The university has a chance to do better this time.
Kevin P. Donovan is a lecturer in African studies and international development at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh.
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