Jon Thompson Lecture on Academic Freedom 2014

Posted by UNB on 3/17/14

Jon Thompson Lecture on Academic Freedom 2014: Academic Freedom & Political and/or Personal Engagement in Scholarly Research: how the doctrine relates to polemics.

A lecture by Susan G. Drummond

March 19, 2014

107 Irving Hall

University of New Brunswick Saint John

7 p.m.

March 20, 2014

102 Tilley Hall

University of New Brunswick Fredericton

5 p.m.

Abstract: The political frenzy that accompanied 2009 Mapping Models conference at York University on models of statehood for Israel and Palestine is a case study of the way that ideology and polemics warp the academic mission. Organized Israel lobbyists, the Harper government, and members of the senior administration of York University intervened in an academic event to unabashedly (or unthinkingly) promote a political agenda. Professor Drummond’s seminar starts with a review of these problematic interventions. She moves on, however, to interrogate the accuracy of the idea that academic freedom does not ultimately require political and personal neutrality on the part of the scholar. What is the relationship between political and/or personal engagement and scholarship ? Can sense be made of the principle of academic freedom if some version of detachment from prior commitments is not made central to the scholarly mission?

Susan G. Drummond is an Associate Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. Her most recent book is Unthinkable Thoughts: Academic Freedom and the One-State Model for Israel and Palestine (2013). Dr. Drummond was one of the organizers of the “Israel/Palestine: Mapping models of statehood and prospects for peace” conference co-sponsored by York University and Osgoode Hall in 2009.

Admission free. Members of the public welcome.

For further information please contact the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers at 506-453-4661or visit AUNBT.ca.

Article Contact Information

Contact: Miriam Jones

Email Address: jones@unb.ca