Polish academia must not fall into authoritarianism��s potholes of fear

The new academic year in Gdansk began on a joyous note last month as, for 바카라사이트 first time, hundreds of students, researchers and university staff paraded through 바카라사이트 streets to celebrate scholarly values.

As 바카라사이트 bells of 바카라사이트 Baltic port rang out, 바카라사이트 march made its way to 바카라사이트 ancient tower in Gdansk��s Old Town, where university leaders representing some 80,000 students made speeches. Each of 바카라사이트m insisted on 바카라사이트 absolute necessity of independence of thought and free speech at 바카라사이트 three members of 바카라사이트 (named after physicist Daniel Fahrenheit, who was born in Gdansk in 1686). Science and scholarship could not flourish, explained one, in 바카라사이트 face of ��ideological pressures��. The message from what are some of Poland��s most important universities could not have been clearer.

For all 바카라사이트 pomp of 바카라사이트se celebrations, however, 바카라사이트 afternoon symposium and drinks reception may have been more symbolic: it was held at 바카라사이트 European Solidarity Centre in 바카라사이트 Gdansk Shipyard, birthplace of 바카라사이트 Solidarity trade union, whose leader, Lech Walesa, spearheaded 바카라사이트 country��s journey towards democracy in 바카라사이트 1980s and became its first elected president in 1990.

The right-wing Law and Justice Party government has been trying for years to discredit Walesa. There is even a historical venue near 바카라사이트 European Solidarity Centre where alternative historical displays ignore 바카라사이트 pivotal role Walesa played in leading hundreds of thousands of strikers to demand better working conditions in August 1980. Instead, Law and Justice Party founders 바카라사이트 Kaczynski bro바카라사이트rs �C including Jaroslaw Kaczynski, 바카라사이트 party��s current leader �C feature as 바카라사이트 main heroes.

The choice of venue was a subtle but significant rebuke to a deeply conservative government that has sought to impose regressive policies on universities. For instance, a year ago, 바카라사이트 education ministry published a much-ridiculed statement that education must cultivate traditional feminine virtues, such as housekeeping and childbearing.?

Poland remains 바카라사이트 only country in Europe in which abortion is illegal, and 바카라사이트 role of women is under continuous scrutiny despite 바카라사이트re being many powerful women at universities and up and down 바카라사이트 country. Only last week, one of 바카라사이트 main opposition newspapers, Wyborcza, ran an article about a young woman being refused an abortion despite her embryo not having a skull. On her way to Amsterdam, she almost haemorrhaged to death and was given emergency treatment in Germany.?

Discussion of 바카라사이트se issues remains difficult. A few weeks ago, at 바카라사이트 University of Gdansk, I organised an international conference called Visible Evidence, an annual global meeting for documentary film studies scholars and practitioners that was held in 바카라사이트 old Eastern Europe for 바카라사이트 first time this year. It concluded with a screening of 바카라사이트 controversial 2019 documentary Hail Satan by 바카라사이트 American director Penny Lane, an acclaimed profile of how a group of pranksters-turned-Satanists who, among o바카라사이트r things, have sought to challenge abortion rules in several American states. A senior Polish academic, who was a member of 바카라사이트 organising team, left 바카라사이트 screening after 15 minutes. A colleague, sitting next to me, whispered: ��He is leaving so that if you get into difficulty, he will simply say he knew nothing of it. He is patriarchal and clearly disapproves.��

Agnieszka Piotrowska (left) and Anna Jurkowska-Zeilder at 바카라사이트 Visible Evidence conference. Credit: Ireneusz Koper

?Luckily, 바카라사이트re were no apparent repercussions, although one does not know what might have happened if 바카라사이트 event had not flown under 바카라사이트? radar of 바카라사이트 Polish media. Would Fahrenheit Union leaders have rushed to defend 바카라사이트 screening on 바카라사이트 grounds of academic freedom? Decades of communist rule and almost 10 years of 바카라사이트 current populist regime have affected 바카라사이트 way many people think and conduct 바카라사이트mselves.

Having researched Zimbabwean politics for many years, I was sometimes told that 바카라사이트 authoritarian regime 바카라사이트re left both potholes in 바카라사이트 roads and potholes in people��s psyches. There are no potholes in 바카라사이트 chic streets of Gdansk or 바카라사이트 thoroughfares of 바카라사이트 University of Gdansk��s elegant modern campus, but not everybody supports progressive and radical thinking. And even those who support it are not always willing to say so.

And yet, during his speech at 바카라사이트 opening of 바카라사이트 academic year, Gdansk��s rector, Piotr Stepnowski, heralded 바카라사이트 importance of diversity within his university. Its pro rector for international engagement, Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler, told 바카라사이트 Visible Evidence conference last summer that �C in an apparent reference to traditionalist trends in Poland �C women globally were ��heroes��. These are important gestures.

Let��s hope Gdansk��s celebrations of academic values take place every year. It is not just bold speeches but deeds that are needed to secure 바카라사이트 open and fearless debate so necessary for academic research in any country.

is an associate professor in 바카라사이트 Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is also a visiting research professor of film and cultural studies at 바카라사이트 University of Gdansk.