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As I understand it, the motion does not call for a boycott. Rather it calls on local branches to discuss the issue. There's an interesting article on this from a North American perspective at http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article7124.shtml I don't think I favour a boycott. However, cutting off a debate (as many university presidents have essentially said, in response to the motion, or a misreading thereof) seems to compromise some important academic freedoms. Nick On 26-Sep-07, at 8:07 AM, Walter Nicholls wrote: > Pardon me for my political ignorance, but I don’t get the motive > behind a boycott of Israeli academics. Cutting people off from > active intellectual exchanges would seem politically > counterproductive (by reinforcing a sense of ‘us’ versus the ‘rest’ > sentiment) and against the academic tradition of free speech. Also, > it punishes a particular segment of the population that really has > little power to change state policy while alienating natural allies > in that country. If we boycott Israeli academics for the bad > polices of their state, in all fairness we should also boycott > American academics whose government has created a fair degree of > mayhem and injustice in the world. Iraq is just the most recent > example of how US foreign policy has devastating effects on whole > regions. Oh yeah, we can’t boycott American academics because many > of us are employed by American universities and/or depend on > journals and events that operate out of this country. > > > > Walter > > > > > > > > > > From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [mailto:CRIT- > [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of D F J Wood > Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 7:36 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: UCU motion to discuss Israel academic boycott > > > > There seems to have been nothing here (at Newcastle or indeed in > North-east UK universities more broadly). Why, I am not sure - I > sense a distinct apathy and ennui rather than anything particularly > motivated in either direction! > > > > David. > > > > > > > > From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [mailto:CRIT- > [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nick Blomley > Sent: 26 September 2007 15:29 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: UCU motion to discuss Israel academic boycott > > Has there been any discussion within UK universities concerning the > pros and cons of a boycott, as suggested by the UCU motion? > > > > Nick > > *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ > Nicholas Blomley, > Professor, > Department of Geography, > Simon Fraser University, > Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CANADA > 778-782-3713 > [log in to unmask] > http://www.sfu.ca/geography/people/faculty/Faculty_sites/ > NickBlomley/index.htm > > > > > > *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ Nicholas Blomley, Professor, Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CANADA 778-782-3713 [log in to unmask] http://www.sfu.ca/geography/people/faculty/Faculty_sites/NickBlomley/ index.htm