The Israel-Palestine Issue: how to facilitate free debate

Universities today face challenges on how to facilitate free debate and academic freedom around politically sensitive issues such as Israel-Palestine.  Why do university administrations and staff face such difficulties? How can these be overcome?  To address such questions, the ‘OU for Ceasefire in Gaza Group’ held a webinar on 15th December 2023.  Although it was meant for Open University staff, the recording  is relevant to all universities.  It was hosted by OU academics, but not using OU resources; speakers represent only their own views.    

Co-Chairs 

Lina Aghajanian, Programme Manager, OU 

Carlos Azevedo, PhD student, Faculty of Business and Law, OU 

Main speakers 

Rebecca Gould, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Poetics and Global Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.  Author of Erasing Palestine: Free Speech and Palestinian Freedom  (Verso, 2023).   

Kristina Hultgren, Professor of Sociolinguistics, and ex-Senate member, OU.

Les Levidow, Senior Research Fellow, Development Policy & Practice (DPP), OU 

Cover Image Source: “Destruction of Gaza 1” by gloucester2gaza is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

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