Political turmoil is continuing to remake the academic landscape across the United States. In a counter-movement to the rise of repression against dissent, Aix-Marseille University recently activated a program to provide “scientific asylum” for researchers who are persecuted by oppressive government policies. The “Safe Place for Science” initiative offers a haven for US scientists. It gives them the flexibility to maneuver in a fraught space increasingly crowded with political pressures and attacks on academic freedom.
Donald Trump’s second presidency has crossed so many lines, the line dividing politics and academia is unrecognizable at this point. This transition has begun to raise alarm among academia. Meanwhile, the US government is waging an aggressive campaign to rid institutions of higher learning of their so-called wokeism. This sudden push has created considerable anxiety and uncertainty among researchers. Many scholars today are worried about the consequences of their speech and scholarship, driving many of them to look for opportunities overseas.
Éric Berton, the creative president of Aix-Marseille University, has found himself inundated with interest. As he reported, it has generated more than 500 inquiries from US researchers. This tidal wave of enthusiasm underscores the urgency that many in this new academic space feel, that the time is now. James, a climate scientist, is one of those thinking of joining the program. He is ambivalent about the decision to move across the Atlantic.
James reflects on the current state of academia in the US, stating, “I feel America has always had a sort of anti-intellectual strain – it happens to be very ascendant right now. It’s a relatively small proportion that doesn’t trust scientists, but it’s unfortunately a very powerful segment.” This sentiment resonates with other academics who are grappling with the implications of living and working under a government that appears increasingly antagonistic toward scientific inquiry.
Another researcher, Lisa, a biological anthropologist, expressed similar fears of deportation. She continued, “The concern is that like we’ve already started to witness, scientists are being detained at the border. Granted they’re not US citizens, but they’re even saying now that if you speak out against the government, they will deport you.” Lisa is preparing to move to France with her family, and knows that as they make big changes, constituencies must be approached more delicately. “And so I don’t need anything against me at the moment until I can officially move here with my family,” she added.
The issues go beyond just a few flag-happy researchers. A growing number of academics have faced censorship in their academic work. Carol Lee, an educator, remarked on the limitations imposed on academic expression: “There’s a lot of censorship now, it’s crazy. An impossible amount of words that we can’t say. We can’t use the words diversity, women, LGBTQ. This environment has fostered a growing sense of uncertainty among library workers even in their role as researchers and advocates of academic freedom.
Brian Sandberg, an American historian who has since been through the Aix-Marseille University’s program and expressed similar sentiments. He noted, “It makes you think about what your status is as a researcher and the principle of academic freedom.” Sandberg further expressed his concern about the broader implications of these governmental actions: “Things have really changed … The entire system of research and higher education in the United States is really under attack.”
The backdrop of this new initiative is similar to those past eras when the US opened its arms to scholars escaping repressive governments. Berton likened Aix-Marseille University’s efforts to the US mobilization at the outset of World War II. During those turbulent times, the US opened its doors to countless displaced French academics. This historical parallel makes clear just how important our current inflection point is. Perhaps most poignantly, it underscores the increasingly urgent need for safe spaces for robust academic discourse.
Academics are thinking through their possibilities as they process these ominous changes. The Safe Place for Science program at Aix-Marseille University stands out as a bright spot and source of optimism. More than words, this initiative addresses real-time threats to academic freedom. It further encourages a global conversation that underscores the need to protect places of intellectual inquiry from violence and hatred.