MOVING TO FRONT FROM SEPTEMBER 17, GIVEN THE RATHER LIVELY (AND GENERALLY SUBSTANTIVE) DISCUSSION IN THE COMMENT THREAD
Philosopher Tomis Kapitan (emeritus, Northern Illinois) writes:
I think it would be interesting and appropriate to see discussion of academic boycotts as a tool of political protest and persuasion, specifically in relation to the BDS movement and Israeli policies in the occupied territories. A recent article in the Electronic Intifada raises issues that some American philosophers might be interested in.
Comments are open. Please try to keep it substantive and calm.
I will state my own view (which everyone is welcome to reject or dispute): while there might be situations in which academic boycotts would be effective tools of political persuasion, Israel is not one of them. An academic boycott would punish innocent parties, without any prospect at all that the government would change its policy because of the inconvenience to academics. Economic boycotts or sanctions would surely make a much greater difference to Israeli policy towards the occupied territories.
