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The discussion would be helped if contributors were to distinguish between boycott as expressive/symbolic actions [‘I don’t want to have dealings with you’] and substantive actions [‘I’m going to try to make you do something’]. The confusion between expressive and substantive ends is very common in many fields and remarkably commonly ignored, though it’s central to both effective analysis and tactical planning. A lot of people carry out symbolic acts expressively when they realise they can’t act substantively to change a situation and they want to make a public display of the matter at issue. It doesn’t help when actors themselves are unclear about the distinction and try to justify their morally noble expressive acts in terms of some implausible substantive outcomes. There may be other secondary achievable substantive outcomes which are worth aiming for – what are they in this instance? Direct action in supporting Palestinian students is another both/and beside expressive acts to pursue, as some academics do. John VW. ------------------------------------------------------------ From Professor John Veit-Wilson Newcastle University GPS -- Sociology Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, England. Tel: 0044[0]191-208 7498 email [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/j.veit-wilson<http://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/j.veit-wilson/>/ From: email list for Radical Statistics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kornbrot, Diana Sent: 07 March 2016 12:22 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: The academic boycott of Israel Peace and effective tactics All those who deplore current Israeli poiclies on settlements, actions of IDF and imprisonment without trial have a dilemma. How to act effectively? Especially given that peace talks are non-existent and international intervention is minimal or negative. In my view, the boycott is not likely to be effective and is likely to have negative effects. This is view if Telegraph/Gruardian letters - all of whom deplore current situation. Negative effects are polarisation and fortress mentality within Israel and anti-semitism world wide. I am NOT accusing the boycotters of wanting these consequences, but they are highly likely all the same. If the boycott was effective then negative consequences could be justified, but if not effective … Many boycotters seem to be saying that the worse the atrocities the more justified the boycott. Doing something is always better than doing nothing? Doing something has the + of making actors feel good. BUT if no good and some harm results, exactly the opposite of what the boycotters are trying to achieve. Effectiveness should be the prime criterion best Diana On 7 Mar 2016, at 09:05, Ludi Simpson <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: As another signatory to the commitment to support the academic boycott of Israel, I offer to talk with Paul S when I visit St Andrews in the week of 22nd March - do take me up on that if you want, Paul. I think that the anti-Semitic actions that you list are as abhorrent as the Israeli governments' record of brutal discrimination. I can see both clearly but I don't see that one justifies the other nor silences my desire to see both ended. I encourage others in the academic sector on this list to consider the Palestinian call for a boycott (not only an academic one), the record of atrocities of Israel against Palestinians through the settlers' expansion and the Israeli Defence Force brutal wars on the Palestinian population, and to consider whether the commitment to an academic boycott is something they too can support. There is no need for me to add to or repeat the links that others have given. At the same time, I don't think this discussion is going to get much further. I very much appreciate all the contributors' other comments on this list and look forward to more of them. Ludi ****************************************************** Please note that if you press the 'Reply' button your message will go only to the sender of this message. If you want to reply to the whole list, use your mailer's 'Reply-to-All' button to send your message automatically to [log in to unmask] Disclaimer: The messages sent to this list are the views of the sender and cannot be assumed to be representative of the range of views held by subscribers to the Radical Statistics Group. To find out more about Radical Statistics and its aims and activities and read current and past issues of our newsletter you are invited to visit our web site www.radstats.org.uk. *******************************************************