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Book Review: Academic Freedom in Palestinian Universities
(Fathom-BICOM-UK) Eve Garrard - Cary Nelson's new book, Not in Kansas Anymore: Academic Freedom in Palestinian Universities, finds that academic freedom in Palestinian universities is indeed very badly eroded and in certain respects non-existent. While Israeli measures are sometimes responsible, these are greatly outweighed in their effect on academic freedom by measures taken by Palestinian students, academics, and wider political forces. These measures, often deployed by students though sometimes by faculty, involve intimidation and physical violence. They receive wide social support, have done so for many years, are very resistant to change, and are largely ignored by Western critics of Israel. In fact, much of the conflict in Palestinian universities is not focused on Israel at all. There is violent conflict between groups which support Fatah and Hamas, and also between splinter groups. Faculty are afraid of being branded by students as collaborators, which can put their lives in danger. Administrators are too frightened to enforce respect for freedom of expression, and with good reason. It's hard not to feel desperately sorry for those young people who have so little freedom to try out a range of different ideas for themselves. And it's hard not to feel a measure of contempt for those who, in the safety of their Western universities, turn their eyes away from the forces denying Palestinian students that freedom. The writer is Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Manchester.