LECTURE

The Erosion of Academic Freedom

MON 10 NOVEMBER, 20:00
Auditorium, Minderbroedersberg 4-6

Dr. Markha Valenta
Assistant Professor in Political Science and Director of Education at Utrecht Centre for Global Challenges, Utrecht University

As we speak, academia in the United States is profoundly threatened by the Donald Trump administration. Censorship of academic policies, large budget cuts, and the subsequent forced dismissal of university employees due to the withdrawal of research funding — the consequences of these recent attacks are already being felt throughout the US, as well as in the Netherlands and worldwide. Research collaborations are being stopped or adapted to meet demands from overseas, and employees are uncertain about the future of their jobs and projects. Overall, academic freedom and our democratic societies are being hit hard.

In this lecture, Markha Valenta will discuss what is happening right now, while also looking at the history of academic freedom in the United States. She will explain to what extent the current events can be understood in the light of this history, and what clearly sets them apart. Along the way, she will reflect on how today’s struggles concerning academic freedom are entangled with wider conflicts — including those related to Palestine and Israel, public health, gender identity, climate change and anti-racism. Zooming in on the Netherlands, Valenta will also demonstrate how the policy changes enforced by Trump are impacting the work and academic freedom of Dutch scholars.

REGISTRATION: WWW.MAASTRICHTUNIVERSITY.NL/SG