Cis what we call, in sociology, an “affair” ! Conference cancellation by the Collège de France “Palestine and Europe: the burden of past and present dynamics”, held there on November 13 and 14 on the initiative of Henry Laurens, chair holder The contemporary history of the Arab world, causes innumerable upheavals: denunciations in social networks and warnings of the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (Lycra) related to a conference considered anti-Israel and decolonial (The main thing is starting November 7) echoing a forum of more than 300 academics who expressed this ban “paving the way to institutional censorship” (World11 November), while hundreds of researchers signed a petition protesting the cancellation and calling for the minister’s resignation over concerns about holding the event, he wrote a letter to the College administrator, Thomas Römer.
The latter reminded in the announcement of the cancellation the importance of respect for academic freedom, especially at this venerable institution where every teacher is free to make his or her choice. However, he also asked to justify his decision “strict neutrality” which must be respected by the institution and in this case the risk of disturbing public order.
Allow me to speak a little dissonantly to support the decisions taken by the administrators. This cancellation is not actually an attack, but on the contrary is a protection of the principle that is often distorted of its meaning, namely “academic freedom” and which claims to maintain, through conceptual sleight of hand, a forum signed by professors in Higher Education (WorldNovember 12). Because academic freedom does not mean the freedom of an academic to do or say whatever he wants, but rather his scientific production must not be subject to any restrictions or pressure from parties outside the academic world. Therefore, this is only valid if we are dealing with authentic research, not activism. This is a blind spot that opponents of cancellation do not take into account.
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