Arguments about academic freedom and the academic boycott of Israeli universities tend to divide in certain ways. For us, the crux is how so often Israeli academic freedom is prioritised over Palestinian academic freedom in mainstream discussion. Palestinian academic freedom, and Palestinian rights to education generally, are catastrophically disrupted and interdicted by the occupation. Those who argue that the academic boycott of Israel betrays the liberal principles of academic freedom often appear to assume that academic freedom is synonymous with what we might call “academic entitlement”. One scholar’s academic freedom cannot override another scholar’s academic freedom.

Source: The Irish Times July 10, 2020 04:41 UTC