Academic Freedom, Unless It's About Palestine
A French university (Sciences Po Lille, we’re told) recently decided a Palestine forum was too 'divisive' and pulled the plug. Apparently, free speech is only truly free until it touches certain geopolitical third rails. The New Arab reports this move came after significant pro-Israel pressure, a narrative eerily familiar to anyone observing how quickly 'dialogue' turns into 'cancellation' when
the topic shifts to Palestinian rights. One might wonder if these institutions display the same alacrity in cancelling events promoting, say, Israeli settlement expansion or the latest defense contractors' expo. This selective concern for 'controversy' isn't about fostering open debate; it's about chilling dissent and enforcing a specific, politically sanctioned viewpoint. Because nothing says
'robust academic inquiry' quite like silencing half the conversation.