The Gaza protests have long sparked controversy over freedom of expression in universities and its limits.
Academics criticize the Ministry of Education. For the Liberal German Minister of Education Bettina Stark-Wächinger, university freedom is a “great good”. In her words, freedom is the foundation of everything: “For the way we live in our country, for our democracy, the rule of law and our prosperity.”
This is a strong statement in the first place, which was made a few days before the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the German Constitution (May 23). Thousands of scientists, however, subsequently requested in an open letter the resignation of the minister, accusing her of abuse of power and intimidation – in other words, of an attack against freedom, specifically university and scientific freedom, against the background of the university occupations for Gaza.
Developments since then have snowballed. The reason is the latest information about the internal correspondence of the Deputy Minister of Education and Research, Sabine Döring, who, according to the Panorama show, asked the legal service of the ministry to investigate the interruption of funding to researchers who had spoken in favor of the occupations at the Free University of Berlin .
Döring was eventually forced to resign, which was officially communicated to Chancellor Olaf Solz on Monday morning. And Stark-Watchinger, who speaks of ignorance of the correspondence and breach of trust with the deputy minister, continues to appear as a defender of freedom and does not resign, despite the pressures.
The angry reaction of the Minister of Education
In early May, police broke up a pro-Palestinian rally with tents at the Free University of Berlin. The students were demonstrating against the Israeli army’s practices in Gaza and tried to occupy university halls. Hundreds of university students joined in an open letter against the police operation. They were simply talking about their right to peaceful protest – which includes occupying university premises.
Minister Stark-Wächinger then reacted angrily. In an interview with a German newspaper, she raised the question of whether the signatories of the letter formulate their positions in accordance with what the Constitution stipulates. To these statements were added the new revelations about an investigation into the interior of the Ministry of the Interior for the interruption of funds to university professors who were placed publicly.
The president of the German Chancellor’s Conference, Walter Rosenthal, criticized that everyone can have their own opinion… about how someone else expresses his opinion. But linking this to which scientific projects will receive funding is a violation of scientific freedom.
In the protest text, which is signed by more than 1,200 professors and lecturers from various countries, one reads, among other things: “The oppressive controls of scientists who publicize their criticism of some political decisions are well-known practices of authoritarian regimes.” The mere impression that free, social discussion is limited is enough to damage the global reputation of the German scientific field.”
Global protests against the war on Gaza
The open letter has been signed by well-known intellectuals such as the theorist of democracy Wolfgang Merkel, the philosopher Rachel Yagi and the sociologist Hartmut Rosa. So did Susan Bernovsky, a translator and professor at the New Yorker Columbia University, who had also criticized the corresponding police operation at her own university last April:
“I am appalled by the efforts in Germany and the US to suppress and silence demonstrations of support for Palestine. This is a violation of academic freedom and the right to freedom of expression,” Bernovsky, who is herself Jewish, told DW. At the same time, the American media vilifies the student protests time and time again as anti-Semitic – something Bernovsky says is not the case.
Mobilizations against the war in Gaza are not taking place only in German and American universities – on the contrary, demonstrations and sit-ins are taking place in universities all over the world, in Europe, Australia and Mexico. The pressure on university administrations to limit these movements is great and Bernovsky, like many of her colleagues, is concerned that the political leadership wants to bring the universities under their control.
Edited by: Giorgos Passas
Source :Skai
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