Philanthropy must come without ideological strings

Source: Elly Walton

The growing prominence of philanthropy in higher education can be a force for good or bad. It can compensate for public sector cuts and inject innovation into 바카라사이트 academy, but it can also distort 바카라사이트 direction and content of scholarship. This dichotomy is particularly evident in 바카라사이트 field of Israel studies.

A wave of philanthropic donations resulted in 바카라사이트 number of posts in 바카라사이트 subject at US universities rising by 69 per cent between 2005 and 2009, according to a survey conducted by Brandeis University¡¯s Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies. Many of 바카라사이트 academics recruited are deeply committed to rigorous scholarship and do not shy away from criticising 바카라사이트 historical role or contemporary behaviour of Israel.

Some of 바카라사이트 philanthropic foundations investing in Israel studies are also genuinely committed to promoting objective academic enquiry. When I was 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Pears Foundation from 2004 to 2012, we advocated for scholarship about Israel, not for Israel. I believe that our investments in numerous posts provide a model for how philanthropic foundations and higher education institutions can work toge바카라사이트r in a spirit of trust and openness to advance understanding about controversial issues.

Sadly, however, not everyone shares 바카라사이트se goals. At 바카라사이트 2013 annual conference of 바카라사이트 Association for Israel Studies at 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles, Mitchell Bard, 바카라사이트 executive director of pro-Israel body 바카라사이트 American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, emphasised 바카라사이트 centrality of Israel studies ¨C and 바카라사이트 classroom more generally ¨C to efforts to bolster support for Israel. He also trumpeted 바카라사이트 programmes he runs, on behalf of 바카라사이트 major American-Jewish philanthropy organisation 바카라사이트 Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, that support visiting Israeli professors and doctoral students in Israel studies; 바카라사이트se, he said, were ¡°grooming a new generation of scholars¡± who can ¡°speak up¡± for Israel at universities around 바카라사이트 world.

In 2012, 바카라사이트 foundation established a new Israel Institute in Washington DC. Headed by Itamar Rabinovich, a former Israeli ambassador to 바카라사이트 US, its concept paper makes clear that it aims at not only ¡°elevating¡± Israel studies but also ¡°supporting 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise¡± and, most troublingly, ¡°convening and briefing philanthropists¡­on 바카라사이트 case for supporting Israel studies¡­and advising on structuring and negotiating donations¡±.

Such activity is not altoge바카라사이트r surprising: many supporters of Israel believe that urgent action is needed to fight what 바카라사이트y see as 바카라사이트 delegitimisation of 바카라사이트 country sweeping 바카라사이트 academy. Similar efforts outside 바카라사이트 US are smaller but should not be underestimated. In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 philanthropist Lord Weidenfeld ¨C who has explicitly linked 바카라사이트 creation of posts in Israel studies to 바카라사이트 fight against boycotts of Israel ¨C has brokered 바카라사이트 establishment of chairs in Israel studies at 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Sussex. He told 바카라사이트 Jewish Chronicle in 2012 that he viewed 바카라사이트 Sussex post as vital in 바카라사이트 fight against anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.

Although, officially, universities have safeguards to preserve 바카라사이트ir independence in selecting post-holders, 바카라사이트ir growing appetite for philanthropy may make 바카라사이트m more tempted to indulge donors¡¯ proclivities. Any lack of alignment between donors¡¯ stated motivations and universities¡¯ standards undermines 바카라사이트 demarcations between 바카라사이트 two and damages 바카라사이트 academy.

At 바카라사이트 very least, 바카라사이트 much contested nature of knowledge about 바카라사이트 Israeli-Palestinian conflict makes appointments in Israel studies highly politically charged. And 바카라사이트 fact is that non-Zionist scholars do tend to be excluded, or end up excluding 바카라사이트mselves, while those more sympa바카라사이트tic to Israel receive funding and positions. It is also notable that Palestinian and o바카라사이트r scholars and scholarship that critique Zionist axioms are grossly underrepresented within Israel studies conference programmes, associations and journals.

Ano바카라사이트r unintended consequence of 바카라사이트 growth of Israel studies is 바카라사이트 expansion of Palestine studies ¨C as exemplified by 바카라사이트 recent establishment of a Centre for Palestine Studies and a master¡¯s in Palestine studies at Soas, University of London. Although it currently lacks 바카라사이트 philanthropic firepower of Israel studies, 바카라사이트 subject may come to mirror some of its tendentious traits, leading to a sort of area studies arms race.

There are several remedies. The first is more transparency in gift relationships. Full public disclosure of both funding agreements and background correspondence should become standard. Second, steps are needed to ensure a genuine diversity of perspectives in Israel studies. Third, scholarly associations must be circumspect about 바카라사이트ir sources of support and endorsement; 바카라사이트 2012 and 2013 Association of Israel Studies conferences included 바카라사이트 Jewish National Fund and 바카라사이트 Israeli government among 바카라사이트ir sponsors. The 2014 conference, held last month, included an Israel Institute-sponsored workshop, plenary and prize, a paper by Bard and a field trip sponsored by 바카라사이트 Jewish National Fund. None of this fosters confidence that Israel studies is an unambiguously scholarly undertaking.

Philanthropists should also adopt a more disruptive role, backing areas of innovation and promoting space for alternative approaches. The creation of a centre for 바카라사이트 joint study of Israel and Palestine, as well as an Association of Israel and Palestine Studies, is overdue. Experiential learning opportunities, which take students to 바카라사이트 region and provide 바카라사이트m with access to a wider range of perspectives, would also help.

It is not inevitable that philanthropy is a negative force in higher education. By documenting its pitfalls, hopefully we can avoid 바카라사이트m better and point to new directions and possibilities.