The best analysis of the academic boycott
_POSTEDON 2002-06-07 14:51:58 by
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goha _WRITES "We can distinguish three forms of the academic boycott. The first is part of a larger cultural boycott -- cultural events in Israel have been boycotted for quite a while. In the academic sphere, the boycott is on any cooperation with institutional events of the Israeli academia in Israel. This means that scholars cancel participation in conferences and official academic events (e.g. some refuse an honorary degree offer) (1).
This form of boycott is already a fact. The reason is that it is the easiest step for individual scholars to take on their own. It is not always easy to distinguish between those canceling participation in events of the Israeli academia for safety reasons and those who are boycotting, but the phenomenon is quite large, as Traubman reports: "The most obvious expression of the isolation of the Israeli scientific community is the refusal of researchers to come here…'Whereas in the past Israel held many international congresses, says Gideon Rivlin, the chair of Kenes International, the principal organizer of such congresses, today there are no longer any international congresses in Israel.' ... 'Until 2004,' adds Rivlin, 'all the congresses in Israel have been canceled'... Brain researcher Prof. Idan Segev...from HU [Hebrew University, Jerusalem], says that scientists tend to refuse to come not only to scientific congresses, but also for joint research projects as well. 'At a conference abroad a short time ago, I met a friend with whom I've been working for many years; every year he comes to Israel for a few weeks to work with me,' says Segev. 'This year he told me openly, `I can't come, the moment I arrive, I am taking a political step.' For them it's like going to South Africa'." (Ha'aretz, ibid.).
http://www.zmag.org/content/Mideast/reinhart_economicboycott.cfm
Why Economic Boycott
ZNet InterActive
by Tanya Reinhart
Indy Media Israel
May 18, 2002 "
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