CLAF Supports CAUT’s Censure of the University of Toronto

Recently, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) has asked its members to censure the University of Toronto (U of T). An offer to Dr. Valentina Azarova for the job of the director of the International Human Rights Program was extended and then rescinded following pressure from a doner who is, apparently, an uncritical and credulous supporter of Israel.
 
Dr. Azarova is a renowned scholar and a human-rights lawyer based in Germany. Some of her academic work focused on the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Specifically, she targeted the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and the legal responsibilities of Israel’s partners.
 
This story shows the meddling of private doners with academic institutes, jeopardising academic freedom, and the relentless campaign against pro-Palestinian academics and supporters in North American universities. We at CLAF denounce the U of T, support CAUT’s sanction call, and call on U of T to offer Dr. Azarova the position.

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