Academic freedom in crisis? Boycotting Israeli universities

Following the humanitarian crisis and great suffering among Palestinians due to Israeli warfare in Gaza in the past year, demands for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) of Israel have echoed around the world. University students and staff have directed their attention to their institutions, asking them to cut ties with Israeli universities due to their connections to the Israeli military complex. This seminar engages with the role of academic freedom, which became a key concern for both pro- and opponents of BDS at Swedish universities. Can BDS strengthen academic freedom? Whose academic freedom are we talking about? And what is the historical, legal and ethical basis for academic freedom in Sweden?