Anthropology: When German Scientists Call for a Boycott of Jews

In recent years, the German Society for Anthropology, previously known as the German Society for Ethnology, has undergone a name change that reflects a more politically correct stance. However, this change does not mask the historical continuity of its leadership, which was dominated by figures who supported the racial theories and anti-Semitism of the Nazis until the late 1960s. This troubling legacy has resurfaced under post-colonial pretenses, as evidenced by the society's recent recommendation to its members to critically assess their institutional collaborations with Israeli universities and research centers. This recommendation raises significant concerns about the selective targeting of Israel, as no other nation, including those with far worse human rights records, is subjected to such scrutiny. The board of the German Society for Anthropology attempts to justify this stance by suggesting a broader critical engagement with international scientific cooperation. However, this appears to be a mere facade, as the primary outcome of this initiative seems to be the boycott of Israel. The society's resolution does not exclude individual collaborations with Israeli scholars, but this is hardly reassuring. It is unlikely that a professor from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem would want to collaborate with a German institution that treats her state and employer in such a discriminatory manner. This situation reflects an academic boycott against Jewish scholars, which is deeply troubling. The society is free to follow in the footsteps of its founding director, Fritz Krause, who was a cultural racist in the 1920s and later joined the Nazi Party. Institutions affiliated with the society are equally free to adhere to the boycott recommendation, as seen at the Institute for Cultural and Social Anthropology at the Free University of Berlin, where students have vocally demanded an 'Academic Boycott Now!' However, those who wish to discriminate against Jewish scholars cannot claim the freedom of science when the German state withdraws funding from them. In fact, a free state should not finance institutions that exclude Jews. When it comes to Israel, the standards seem to shift dramatically. This is also evident among supporters of the Jewish state. For instance, when the Prime Minister of Hesse, Boris Rhein, proposes making the denial of Israel's right to exist a criminal offense, he crosses a line. Thoughts should be free, or at least they should be. The Israeli-born publicist Omri Boehm suggests a bi-national, federal state for Jews and Arabs in Palestine instead of a Jewish state. While some may view this as naive, it should not be criminalized, just as it should not be illegal to agree with Vladimir Putin when he questions Ukraine's existence as a nation or the Spanish government, which still does not recognize the breakaway state of Kosovo. Boycotts against Israeli academics contradict the principles of academic freedom. Restrictions on what ca…