Since October 7, 2023, academic freedom and freedom of speech have come under intensified assault at colleges and universities across the United States and Canada. Under pressure from wealthy donors, politicians and organizations based outside of academia who have dramatically escalated longstanding efforts to conflate virtually all forms of criticism of Israel with antisemitism, many college and university administrations have acted to suppress, delegitimize or sanction the expression of certain views – almost exclusively those advocating for Palestinian rights and/or critical of the Israeli war on Gaza – by faculty, students and staff. This has included prohibiting protests on campuses, suspending student organizations, banning the use of certain terms now claimed to be inherently antisemitic and genocidal, suspending students, dismissing teaching staff, preventing film showings and art exhibits, and unilaterally imposing new policies that limit political activity. Administrators have also failed to vigorously defend their faculty and students subjected to doxing and other forms of assault for expressing their views. And while many were quick to reassure their Jewish students and denounce antisemitism in the wake of the October 7 attacks, they were often much less speedy or vigorous in addressing the fears and concerns of their Palestinian, other Arab and Muslim students, or altogether failed to do so. A House of Representatives committee staged a circus-like hearing on allegations of antisemitism on campuses, and the US federal government has launched investigations of many universities, ostensibly to ascertain whether they violated antidiscrimination statutes by tolerating the creation of a “hostile atmosphere” for their Jewish students – by which is apparently meant allowing them to be exposed to perspectives with which some of them might disagree or find disturbing. All this has had a chilling effect on the ability of faculty to teach about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and of campus communities to openly and freely discuss and debate this issue as they would any other. The campaign to silence perspectives critical of Israel is in some cases also targeting, and seeking to reverse, DEI, antiracist and other allegedly “woke” initiatives. Colleges and universities have largely failed to actively defend academic freedom and free speech in a principled and consistent manner, and so far there has been no broad-based national response, encompassing colleges and universities but also academic associations, to the threat this campaign poses to the autonomy, integrity, and educational and intellectual missions of institutions of higher education.

This paper surveys and discusses the transformations and challenges faced by scholars of and from Palestine in the Italian academia since October 7, 2023. It contextualises them in the history of pro-Palestinian student activism and solidarity in the Italian academia since the 1960s-1970s. The contribution also analyses how forms of solidarity and mobilisation have been policed in the context of the increasing exposure of Italian universities to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism and its adoption by the Italian government in 2020, as well as the detention in Israel of an Italian Palestinian student in late Summer 2023 and the international response generated. The paper discusses the transformations faced since October 7, 2023, unpacking cases of violation of academic freedom, censorship or self-censorship related to Italian scholars within the European framework. The paper highlights the specificity of the Italian case within Europe and beyond, assessed against the political economy of Italian academia, the influence of the military-industrial complex on the educational and academic system, and the work of transnational networks in support of academic freedom. The paper provides comparative insights with other European or Northern American cases and experiences, and reflects on the ruptures post-October 7, as well as on the forms of cooperation and response to violations of academic freedom.

Since the 7th of October 2023, researchers, scholars, and activists in Swiss academia have been witnessing unprecedented attacks on their academic freedom as they stand in solidarity with Palestine. This organized campaign is part of a broader hostile environment against pro-Palestine movements in Switzerland and is often justified under the pretext of fighting against antisemitism. Such attacks on academic freedom in Switzerland have been unprecedented in their scale and intensity; Especially at universities in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, researchers have faced numerous cases of pressure by their institutions through limiting their work, silencing their opinions, and denying them a space for on-campus activism. In some instances, this pressure mounted to suspensions from institutions, shutting down research facilities, and smearing campaigns against individual scholars in right-wing media outlets. As a response to these attacks, researchers and scholars have initiated campaigns on the cantonal and national levels to unite in their fight for protecting academic freedom. In some instances, they succeeded in combatting the systematic attacks on academic freedom and were able to continue their on-campus activism for Palestine. This paper examines the case of Switzerland in a comparative approach, highlighting the specificity of such attacks on academic freedom in a supposedly ‘neutral’ Swiss academia. The paper draws from the collective experiences of scholars on various campuses throughout Switzerland, discussing moments of failure and success in their ongoing fight against silencing, defamation, and censorship.

This presentation provides an overview on the obstruction of academic freedoms in France since October 7, 2023 and in particular among social science researchers working in the Middle East region. Since this date, several researchers have been accused of advocating terrorism and have had to appear in front of disciplinary boards. The majority of events relating to Palestine in university arenas were canceled and under the pretext of terrorist threats Universities' directors hindered the organization of any face-to-face scientific meeting or event aimed at deciphering the conflict. In addition to discussing the dynamics of censorship and discipline that have been put in place within universities, it will also provide visibility to the initiatives (online seminars, conferences, observatories) that have been put in place during this period to circumvent academic and political pressures. This presentation will also reflect on questions of commitment and research ethics in the context of the current conflict and the challenges that this poses at the level of academic partnerships with and for Palestine.

Since October 7, 2024, numerous scholars and students have encountered institutional pressure stemming from their pro-Palestinian activism and advocacy. This trend has been paralleled by a concerning escalation of Islamophobia across Europe, manifesting in discriminatory rhetoric and policies affecting Arab and Muslim communities. This issue has transcended borders, extending its reach into Spain, despite the country's historical support for pro-Palestinian movements, and others such as Western Sahara, and the significant role civil society organizations have traditionally played in shaping public discourse. In Spain, the rise of Islamophobic and anti-migrant narratives has contributed to the exacerbation of discriminatory attitudes and political polarization, intersecting with discussions on various social justice issues such as gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and other legislative and political efforts to counter hate speech and hate crimes. Civil society organizations (CSOs), once integral to academic debate and political dialogue, find themselves increasingly isolated. Also, Arab and Muslim communities feel excluded from public and academic debates where there is a lower representation of diversity and intersectional approaches. Furthermore, the media's portrayal of Arab communities often perpetuates biased perspectives, further complicating efforts to foster inclusive and alternative narratives proposed by CSOs and activists inside academia. This contribution focuses on the Spanish context, examining it across multiple levels of analysis, from national policies to local dynamics. It will explore the intricate relationship between academic institutions and CSOs, shedding light on the challenges faced by scholars and activists in Palestinian studies or related fields within Spanish universities. The paper aims to stimulate critical reflection and dialogue by addressing these issues, fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding academic freedom in Spain.

The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) found that the main challenges to academic freedom since October 7th are primarily a result of ongoing efforts by politicians, government bodies, universities, media outlets, corporate bodies, civil society organisations and individuals to silence lawful speech pertaining to the situation in Israel/Palestine; the actions of the Israeli government and military; the history of the state of Israel and support for Palestinian human rights. Attacks on academic freedom suggests that the silencing has multiple layers and operates in numerous ways, but primarily through creating a chilling effect. This presentation will begin by describing the numerous capillary interactions within higher education institutions, from those that take place ‘under the radar’ and might appear innocuous through the cancellation of events and courses on Israel/Palestine to the suspension and arrest of students and faculty. By way of conclusion, it will highlight the conjuncture among certain political ideologies, the remaking of the university as a corporation, and the geopolitical interests of western actors in the Middle East, revealing how together they contribute to the clamp down on academic freedom in UK universities and elsewhere, while also offering some suggestions on how students and faculty can pushback.

This contribution discusses the (ongoing) academic boycott campaign in Flanders (Belgium) following the events of 7 October. This campaign built on the previous work of an inter-university solidarity network that first emerged in 2021 following the dispossession of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, and the subsequent bombing of Gaza in May 2021. In the summer of 2021, after four statements of solidarity with the Palestinian cause were issued at four different Flemish universities, gathering around 7000 signatories, an inter-university collective was formed, culminating in an inter-university lecture series and dialogue on Palestine and the need for a boycott (titled 'Decolonizing Palestine: Conversations after the Unity Intifada'). In October 2023, this network quickly joined several actions initiated by university students and other colleagues, drafting a first open letter addressing the five Flemish rectors in October 2023 (with 3600+ signatories of which 200+ professors) and a new open letter on the ongoing ‘educide’ in Gaza in February 2024 (with 1600+ signatories, this time 400+ Flemish professors) addressing the Flemish Inter-University Council (VLIR). Both statements were emailed to the Flemish rectors and the Board of directors of the VLIR with all professors in cc. In both these letters the academic boycott was a primary demand and the signatories reminded their universities not to apply double standards (there is an effective boycott of both Russian and Iranian institutions by Flemish universities at the moment). The subsequent series of (student) actions and open letters led to a lively debate in the Flemish public media, forcing the various rectors of the universities to take a position and defend the hitherto silent and passive attitude of the universities. In the weeks that followed we have also seen a cautious shift in university policies with some departments and human rights commissions openly questioning collaboration with particular Israeli partners, leading to some suspensions and commitments not to work with particular universities anymore in the future. As a coordinating member of the inter-university network, I want to delve deeper into some of the strategies, limits and opposition we faced along the way.