The World of Higher Education Why Boycott? Maya Wind on the Case Against Israeli Universities
Mar 6, 2025
Maya Wind, an Israeli-born postdoctoral scholar at UC Riverside and author of 'Towers of Ivory and Steel,' dives deeply into the academic boycott of Israeli universities. She examines the historical context, drawing parallels to apartheid South Africa, and explains how these institutions are tied to Palestinian dispossession. Wind highlights systemic discrimination against Palestinian students and discusses why all Israeli universities should be boycotted due to their complicity in state policies. The conversation also explores the recent escalation of conflict and its implications for global support for these boycotts.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Boycotts Create External Pressure
- Boycotts aim to create external pressure that compels decolonization rather than relying on oppressors to change voluntarily.
- Maya Wind links the academic boycott to the South African anti-apartheid model and a Palestinian-led strategy.
Campuses Built For Dispossession
- Israeli universities were planned and built as infrastructure to facilitate Palestinian dispossession and Judaization.
- Maya Wind argues campus locations and design supported state projects of ethnic transfer and territorial expansion.
Follow The Call From Those Affected
- Follow the lead of the directly impacted community: Palestinian civil society called for the boycott and that should guide ally action.
- Wind stresses boycotts are tactics chosen by indigenous movements and allies should assess and comply accordingly.