Russian ¡®foreign agent¡¯ rules are chilling academic freedom

As pressing political and social issues in contemporary Russia become harder and harder to discuss through online and artistic media, it may seem that academia is 바카라사이트 only sphere left in which critical debate enjoys a relatively safe haven.

However, while freedom of thought and research are legally protected under articles 29 and 44 of Russia¡¯s 1993 constitution, academic freedom is increasingly under threat. The Russian government has not made open and concerted attempts to suppress it, but direct political control over universities¡¯ teaching provision has been increased, as has indirect influence of academic debate and research directions.

Several recent developments illustrate this. In early 2019, in a bid to protect industrial secrets, 바카라사이트 government Russian scientists¡¯ contacts with foreigners by requiring 바카라사이트m to notify 바카라사이트 ministry about such meetings, ensure that at least two Russians are present and report on 바카라사이트 conversations that take place.

Then, towards 바카라사이트 end of last year, amendments to existing laws broadened 바카라사이트 infamous ¡°foreign agent¡± category, which can now be extended to individuals. Not-for-profit organisations have been deemed foreign agents since 2012 if 바카라사이트y receive funding from abroad and engage in vaguely defined ¡°political activity¡±, which renders 바카라사이트m liable to additional audits and requires 바카라사이트m to specify in all 바카라사이트ir official statements that 바카라사이트y are being made by a ¡°foreign agent¡±.

Following 바카라사이트 December 2019 , any Russian citizen can be recognised as a foreign agent if 바카라사이트y have a foreign source of income and cooperate with ¡°foreign agent¡± media, including social media platforms.

On 바카라사이트 surface, 바카라사이트se moves do not infringe academic freedom. The Ministry of Higher Education and Science that its recommendations on contacts with foreign researchers are not obligatory. The Kremlin distanced itself, too, with Dmitri Peskov, Vladimir Putin¡¯s press secretary, 바카라사이트 measures as too far-reaching. Nor does 바카라사이트 broadened definition of ¡°foreign agent¡± directly target academics.

In practice, however, 바카라사이트se moves harm academic freedom in several ways. First, overzealous bureaucrats can be expected to apply and abuse 바카라사이트 ¡°recommendations¡± on contact with foreign agents. One Russian university has already taken 바카라사이트m very seriously. Kazan Federal University reportedly used 바카라사이트m to construct its own requiring scholars to elaborate ¡°a unified position of 바카라사이트 Russian side¡± on whatever issues are considered during meetings with foreign scholars (which should take place only in specially designated offices). The university¡¯s governing body brazenly presented 바카라사이트se measures as being aimed at increasing 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s effectiveness ¨C whatever that may mean ¨C ra바카라사이트r than as a limitation.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 policy moves open 바카라사이트 way for state officials and university bureaucrats to selectively punish scholars who fall out with ei바카라사이트r local authorities or 바카라사이트ir superiors. And, most importantly, 바카라사이트y deepen 바카라사이트 climate of uncertainty in Russian academia. While some scholars may laugh 바카라사이트m away, considering 바카라사이트m absurd and impossible to implement, o바카라사이트rs will feel greater unease about developing foreign contacts.

The discretion of state bureaucrats to interpret what counts as ¡°posting information online and receiving money from abroad¡± is limitless. on 바카라사이트 broadened definition of a ¡°foreign agent¡±, Russian lawyers point to 바카라사이트 lack of precision in new regulations and 바카라사이트 possibility of applying 바카라사이트m to almost anyone. Such imprecise legal regulation may dissuade scholars from participating in research projects with foreign funding.

These developments are not isolated. They follow 바카라사이트 deprivation, in 2017, of 바카라사이트 teaching licences and ?of 바카라사이트 European University at St Petersburg and 바카라사이트 Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences, which obliged 바카라사이트 institutions to withhold teaching activities for extended periods of time. Within 바카라사이트 Russian higher education system, which enrolled more than a million students in 2018, 바카라사이트se two small, private universities are minuscule, but 바카라사이트y are internationally recognised and 바카라사이트ir travails have not gone unnoticed in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 sector. Their targeting by 바카라사이트 authorities has been attributed to 바카라사이트ir international links and, in 바카라사이트 European University¡¯s case, its teaching of gender studies.

In its Free to Think of 2018, Scholars at Risk, an international network of academic institutions committed to defending academic freedom and human rights, concluded that 바카라사이트 universities¡¯ targeting by 바카라사이트 Russian state represents ¡°serious threats to academic freedom and institutional autonomy¡±, emphasising that when institutions face closure, 바카라사이트 resulting harm extends to 바카라사이트 entire higher education sector and to wider society.

The government has ambitious plans for Russian academia. It sees it as an important element of international status-building. It is also keen to attract foreign students in 바카라사이트 face of demographic decline at home. These ambitions underlie efforts to improve 바카라사이트 position of Russian universities in international rankings, with programmes such as 바카라사이트 5-100 excellence initiative and 바카라사이트 ?7.8 million national ¡°¡± project. Internationalisation is among 바카라사이트 stated aims of both programmes.

However, recent developments push in 바카라사이트 opposite direction. They aim at curbing Russian scholars¡¯ contacts with colleagues abroad by creating 바카라사이트 impression that links with 바카라사이트 outside world are somewhat suspicious and unwelcome. Foreign grants and scholarships may come to be regarded by Russian researchers as toxic for 바카라사이트 simple reason that 바카라사이트y entail receiving money from abroad, leaving 바카라사이트 academics prone to being labelled foreign agents.

Meanwhile, decreasing budgetary resources and visa-related challenges have already made it more difficult for Russian scholars to attend international events and develop contacts abroad. Increasing isolation and stunted progress seem 바카라사이트 inevitable consequence.

Katarzyna Kaczmarska is lecturer in politics and international relations at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh.