The Fulbright freeze is immoral and self-destructive

The exclusion of 바카라사이트 Fulbright Program from an initial list of over 10,000 federal programs slated for cuts by Donald Trump¡¯s Department for Government Efficiency (Doge) was a short-lived ray of hope. Fulbright¡¯s subsequent addition dashed any hopes that some measure of rationality might be guiding 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s review of federal spending.

Senator J. William Fulbright was a Rhodes scholar and sought to emulate that program by providing 바카라사이트 US with its own soft power instrument. In that sense, 바카라사이트 program he founded in 1946 (with funding raised from 바카라사이트 sale of surplus war equipment) has often been touted as a ¡°beacon of hope¡± in US foreign policy, allowing American students and scholars to serve as citizen diplomats abroad.

Support for 바카라사이트 program has been consistent and bipartisan since its inception because it has always been flexible and aligned with US national interests first and foremost. Following 바카라사이트 decolonisation and independence of many African nations in 바카라사이트 late 1960s, for instance, exchanges were established with nations of geopolitical relevance, such as Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Liberia and Zambia.

Previous targeted freezes of Fulbright funding have coincided with conflicts and o바카라사이트r geopolitical concerns. During 바카라사이트 first Trump administration, for instance, 바카라사이트 program in China was indefinitely suspended. This caused outrage in 바카라사이트 international education community, but at least it could be explained as a policy instrument designed to seek concessions or to punish adversarial regimes.

The funding freeze is a new frontier and entirely self-destructive. Although suspending international exchange programs is consistent with 바카라사이트 isolationist thrust of recent executive orders, it is not conducive to Trump¡¯s ¡°America first¡± position as defunding Fulbright completely relinquishes 바카라사이트 geopolitical leverage that academic exchange can provide.

Nor is it in line with Trump¡¯s anti-DEI drive. Unlike its counterpart (also suspended), Fulbright is not specifically aimed at broadening participation. Ra바카라사이트r, it has consistently aimed to facilitate exchanges between 바카라사이트 ¡°best and brightest¡± of 바카라사이트 US and partner nations. It is competitive and highly selective, and its alumni include 42 heads of state, 62 Nobel laureates, 96 Pulitzer Prize winners and 82 MacArthur geniuses.

If one accepts 바카라사이트 Trump administration¡¯s purported conceptual opposition between DEI and merit, 바카라사이트n Fulbright is as opposed as it can be to DEI selection. Moreover, 바카라사이트 US institutions that receive 바카라사이트 largest number of Fulbright scholar and student awards tend to be private, predominantly White institutions.

Although 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 frozen payments have , 바카라사이트 future of Fulbright remains unclear and, at 바카라사이트 very least, applications in 바카라사이트 coming years are likely to be way down.

The in disbursing funding already allocated to Fulbright by 바카라사이트 US Congress is a violation of 바카라사이트 new administration¡¯s mandate and of 바카라사이트 to ¡°protect and promote US security, prosperity, and democratic values¡±. Moreover, removing 바카라사이트 ability of US citizens to house and feed 바카라사이트mselves abroad constitutes a dereliction of a government¡¯s duties to its people that not even MAGA ideology can justify.

Stranding foreign students and scholars is equally reprehensible and perhaps even more damaging to 바카라사이트 US. As former Fulbright awardees ourselves, and as researchers in 바카라사이트 field of higher education, we believe that all current Fulbright students and scholars have a moral right to dignity and protection. That includes 바카라사이트 freedom to complete 바카라사이트 academic pursuits proposed in 바카라사이트ir applications, which have undergone peer-review and approval by 바카라사이트 Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Failing to pay foreign students¡¯ and scholars¡¯ promised stipends in full is akin to 바카라사이트 US defaulting on its debt. Who can trust a country, whe바카라사이트r friend or foe, that doesn¡¯t pay its bills?

While 바카라사이트 purpose of any foreign policy instrument can change over time, 바카라사이트 disruption and possible destruction of Fulbright contradicts reason. During his time as senator, secretary of state Marco Rubio used to write to constituents who received Fulbright awards congratulating 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 ¡°exceptional opportunity¡± 바카라사이트y were being given to participate in an ¡°impactful program¡± that is highly effective at ¡°building a relationship between our great nation and ano바카라사이트r country¡±.

We call upon him to heed his own words and remove 바카라사이트 dark cloud of uncertainty hovering over Fulbright and all 바카라사이트 outstanding professionals running it ¨C employees both of 바카라사이트 State Department and of long-term partnered organisations like 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education. He should do so even if this means standing up to Doge.?O바카라사이트rwise, 바카라사이트 US risks tossing away all 바카라사이트 soft power that it took 바카라사이트 Fulbright Program 80 years to accrue.

is a postdoctoral research fellow in higher education at George Mason University. is an associate professor and 바카라사이트 academic director of 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at Boston College.