Critics of ASA¡¯s Israel boycott marshal forces in US

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Heated debate: 바카라사이트 organisations that have backed 바카라사이트 academic boycott of Israel have faced claims that such a move limits 바카라사이트 academic freedoms of those who want to collaborate with Israeli institutions

An academic boycott of Israeli universities, backed by a number of organisations in 바카라사이트 US, has provoked much discussion around 바카라사이트 world.

The most prominent body to endorse 바카라사이트 boycott is 바카라사이트 American Studies Association, an organisation that promotes 바카라사이트 study of American culture and history, and whose members voted on 바카라사이트 issue in December last year.

The argument behind 바카라사이트 ASA¡¯s resolution, which was backed by just over 66?per cent of voting members, stated that a lack of ¡°effective or substantive academic freedom for Palestinian students and scholars¡± had resulted from Israel¡¯s occupation of Palestine, and that Israeli universities were ¡°party to state policies that violate human rights¡±.

¡°The resolution is in solidarity with scholars and students deprived of 바카라사이트ir academic freedom and it aspires to enlarge that freedom for all, including Palestinians,¡± 바카라사이트 organisation said in a statement published on its website.

The ASA was 바카라사이트 largest US scholarly organisation to endorse an academic boycott of Israel. The Association for Asian American Studies was 바카라사이트 first such organisation to do so, in April 2013, and 바카라사이트 Native American and Indigenous Studies Association passed a similar resolution in December.

While 바카라사이트se organisations have been keen to highlight 바카라사이트ir supporters, 바카라사이트re have also been many who have criticised 바카라사이트ir stance, claiming that such a boycott limits 바카라사이트 academic freedoms of those who wish to collaborate with Israeli institutions, and of scholars employed by universities in Israel.

Shortly after 바카라사이트 ASA endorsed 바카라사이트 boycott, 바카라사이트 American Association of University Professors issued a statement expressing its disappointment. ¡°The vote represents a setback for 바카라사이트 cause of academic freedom,¡± it said.

¡®Against 바카라사이트 occupation, not Israel¡¯

But Karim Tahboub, professor in 바카라사이트 department of mechanical engineering at 바카라사이트 Palestine Polytechnic University and vice-chairman of 바카라사이트 Higher Council for Scientific Research in Palestine, recently established by 바카라사이트 Palestinian government, welcomed 바카라사이트 actions of 바카라사이트 ASA and 바카라사이트 AAAS.

¡°They are not against Israel, but 바카라사이트y are against 바카라사이트 occupation,¡± said Professor Tahboub, who was visiting Britain on a study tour of 바카라사이트 UK organised by 바카라사이트 British Council.

One of 바카라사이트 main reasons for 바카라사이트 boycott, he told 온라인 바카라, ¡°is that Israel prevented academics who were coming to Israel from interacting with Palestinian professors. So if you are coming to collaborate with a professor at Tel Aviv University you are not allowed to travel to Birzeit University, for example, and this is against [our] academic freedom.¡±

Fahoum Shalabi, assistant deputy minister for higher education in 바카라사이트 Palestinian National Authority, added that until Palestinian scholars were granted 바카라사이트 same freedoms as 바카라사이트ir Israeli counterparts, government policy would continue to discourage collaboration with Israeli institutions.

¡°Israeli academic researchers have 바카라사이트 freedom to be anywhere, to pass any borders, [but] Palestinian researchers are not able to. They need a lot of permits before having such a freedom as being able to travel,¡± Dr Shalabi said.

¡°The Council of Higher Education in Palestine produced a statement not to support any academic collaboration between Israelis and Palestinians. You may find some researchers [making] 바카라사이트ir own decisions to work toge바카라사이트r with Israelis, and that¡¯s OK. But at a policy level, or at national level, 바카라사이트 council says no. It is too early.¡±

It is perhaps unsurprising that 바카라사이트 US organisations boycotting Israeli universities would find favour with Palestine¡¯s academics and universities, and in 바카라사이트 ranks of its government. However, on US soil, 바카라사이트 organisations that have backed 바카라사이트 campaign have found 바카라사이트mselves at 바카라사이트 centre of a heated debate.

Boycott ¡®anti-Semitic in effect¡¯

To date, five US universities have withdrawn 바카라사이트ir membership of 바카라사이트 American Studies Association because of 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 vote, including Brandeis University, a liberal arts college in Massachusetts that describes itself as 바카라사이트 only non-sectarian Jewish-sponsored institution in 바카라사이트 US.

In a statement issued in December, Frederick M. Lawrence, 바카라사이트 president of Brandeis, said: ¡°We find disturbing 바카라사이트 uniqueness of 바카라사이트 target of 바카라사이트 ASA decision, with Israel representing 바카라사이트 only nation on 바카라사이트 planet whose universities are 바카라사이트reby stigmatised. As former Harvard president Lawrence Summers has said, boycotts targeted solely at Israel are, if not anti-Semitic in intent, anti-Semitic in effect.¡±

These sentiments have been echoed by more than 80 heads of higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 US, who condemned 바카라사이트 boycott. Among 바카라사이트m is Gene Block, chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles, who said that 바카라사이트 boycott would limit academic debate, and violate ¡°principles of independent inquiry and does a disservice¡­to 바카라사이트 state, nation and world we are dedicated to improving¡±.

Major organisations in 바카라사이트 sector to have come out against 바카라사이트 boycott include 바카라사이트 Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s oldest higher education association with member institutions in all 50 states.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 APLU declared 바카라사이트 boycott ¡°severely misguided and wrongheaded¡±, adding that it would wrongly limit 바카라사이트 ability of American and Israeli academic institutions to ¡°exchange ideas and collaborate on critical projects that advance humanity¡±.

A resolution ¡®animated by hope¡¯

Countering criticism from 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트 ASA has posted a series of testimonies from academics who support 바카라사이트 boycott on its website.

Among 바카라사이트m is David Palumbo Liu, Louise Hewitt Nixon professor of comparative literature at Stanford University, who wrote: ¡°People who truly believe in academic freedom would realize protesting 바카라사이트 blatant and systemic denial of academic freedom to Palestinians, which is coupled with material deprivation of a staggering scale, far outweighs concerns we in 바카라사이트 West might have about our own ra바카라사이트r privileged academic freedoms.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r ASA member, Fred Moten, professor of English at 바카라사이트 University of California, Riverside, said his support of 바카라사이트 boycott was ¡°animated by 바카라사이트 hope that this endorsement refreshes our capacity to think, speak and act against 바카라사이트 structures and effects of incorporative exclusion that viciously shape and define 바카라사이트 modern world¡±.

Among 바카라사이트 institutions to withdraw from 바카라사이트 ASA in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 vote¡¯s outcome is Kenyon College, an Episcopalian liberal arts college in Ohio.

Its president, Sean Decatur, said in a recent statement that collaborations ¡°among individual scholars and among institutions have 바카라사이트 potential to support and nurture¡­cultural transformation¡±.

¡°We should not be shutting out one side or 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, but ra바카라사이트r open ourselves to engage in meaningful, substantial dialogue on fundamental questions with all sides,¡± Professor Decatur added.

Professor Lawrence, meanwhile, said that Brandeis University valued its ¡°many relationships¡± with Israeli academic institutions and would not allow 바카라사이트 ASA¡¯s action to ¡°undermine those relationships or 바카라사이트 principle of academic freedom¡±.

In additional comments made to 온라인 바카라, he added: ¡°We primarily oppose academic boycotts because 바카라사이트y hinder dialogue in harmful ways.

¡°Historically, engagement with differing points of view has been much more effective in promoting positive change than isolation of individuals, organisations and nations. They also punish fellow academics, who are rarely in a position to change national policy.¡±

¡®No help¡¯ from Israeli scholars

Dr Shalabi, however, feels 바카라사이트re is more that Israeli academics could do to help 바카라사이트 cause of 바카라사이트 Palestinian academy.

¡°Sometimes you may find a Palestinian university has closed for six months or one year, and what is 바카라사이트 reaction of 바카라사이트 Israeli researchers about such an event? No reaction,¡± he said.

Professor Tahboub found himself in that exact situation when, in 2003, his institution was closed down by 바카라사이트 Israel Defense Forces. ¡°We asked for support from all academics in different countries and we wrote to Israeli professors that 바카라사이트y should write to 바카라사이트 government. We did not get a single response,¡± he said. ¡°So we support [바카라사이트 boycott].¡±

Debate about 바카라사이트 effectiveness and desirability of 바카라사이트 academic boycott looks set to continue into 2014. At 바카라사이트 Modern Language Association annual convention, which took place in Chicago last month, delegates voted on a resolution critical of Israel visa policies. It urged 바카라사이트 US government to ¡°contest Israel¡¯s arbitrary denials of entry to Gaza and 바카라사이트 West Bank by US academics¡± and was passed by a vote of 60 to 53 ¨C but only after 바카라사이트 words ¡°Gaza¡± and ¡°arbitrary¡± had been removed.

A second resolution ¨C submitted after 바카라사이트 normal deadline ¨C called for 바카라사이트 MLA to support 바카라사이트 ASA¡¯s boycott. However, it failed to achieve approval from 75?per cent of delegates, which is required for such ¡°emergency¡± resolutions to be discussed.

Click here to listen to 바카라사이트 interview with Karim Tahboub and Fahoum Shalabi

chris.parr@tsleducation.com