Academic freedom and freedom of speech is more and more under threat in the “Western world": First, the University of East London (UEL) suspended anthropology professor Chris Knight, now they cancel the Alternative summit that should take place at the University campus, the Guardian reports.
A petition was launched to keep the university open. According the Alternative Summit website, academics and students have started to occupy the university:
Despite management efforts to shut down the Alternative London Summit on Wednesday 1st April organisers and speakers are committed to making sure the event goes ahead at the University of East London as planned.
(…)
Organisers are appealing to the public to join academics, union representatives and students in the occupation of the university in order to ensure that prominent political, scientific, academic and activist speakers who have remained committed to the event will be free and able to speak as planned.
It is vital at this pivotal moment in British and world history that we, the people have a public platform to understand and act on alternative ideas and strategies for our political, environmental and economic future.
According to Bernadette Buckley, from the politics department of Goldsmiths, the shut down of the UEL is “an astonishingly grim reflection on the state of academic freedom today.”
“The university is turned into a wasteland in the very moment when the university should instead be up to the task of hosting critical debate and be a hub of creative energies. This is not just about UEL, but about reclaiming universities and education in these times of crisis", a member of the Chris Knight Reinstatement Solidarity Group on Facebook said.
“I guess the summit organizers are now openly admitting what they’re really afraid: and it isn’t molotov cocktails. It’s ideas", the first signatory wrote.
A spokesperson for the university explained “that the potential scale of the event and associated risks had become unmanageable, and we would be unable to accommodate safely an event of this nature.”
>> Alternative G20 summit cancelled - University of East London shuts down for duration of G20 talks and cancels alternative summit (Guardian, 31.3.09)
>> Opposition grows as UEL shuts down for G20 (Wharf 31.3.09)
>> Alternative London Summit Press Release
>> Petition To the Corporate Management Team (CMT) of the University of East London
>> Analysis by Maximilian Forte at Open Anthropology
SEE ALSO:
“Intolerant Universities": Anthropology professor Chris Knight suspended over G20-activism
Financial crisis: Anthropologists lead mass demonstration against G20 summit
How anthropologists should react to the financial crisis
This entry was posted by admin and filed under politics, anthropology (general), University / Academia. 
This is really nasty news, it just keeps getting worse.
I agree with your key points above. These people, the ones who “manage” UEL have to understand that by shutting down peaceful debate and discussion, they are responsible for provoking aggressive actions. It’s a simple and recurring rule of social (dis)order – they need merely consult with any dictator who will confirm this.
Otherwise, the University of East London has clearly failed to live up to what is expected of a university. They have opted for management consultancy in support of business…which is not a university. Moreover, since they cannot even manage dissent within their own home, one wonders how valuable the “advice” is that the university would offer to corporations.
Academics who are fed up with this state of affairs are going to have to create new associations for themselves, and pool resources, so that such nastiness can be directly challenged and rendered “expensive” for institutions such as UEL.
I think Chris Knight was too narrow and selective when suggesting who might be hung from lamp posts.