Science in research and teaching has an outstanding role to play in solving the central problems of our society. Science is necessarily discursive and thrives on the diversity of people and positions. The PLUS is committed to its role in democratic society, to guaranteeing and shaping diversity and to fighting for human rights and against discrimination.

It is not always easy to find the right balance between discursive openness, allowing controversial topics and rejecting discriminatory or anti-democratic positions in university life. Dialogue is the prerequisite for the success of such balancing and negotiation.

Recent media coverage has discussed the suspension of a seminar planned for the summer semester at the Department of Philosophy KGW. The course in question deals with the topic “Ethical Interventions: Boycott Strategies – Pro & Con” and deals with the anti-Israeli boycott movement BDS. On 1 March, we (Rectorate, Dean and Head of Department) received a letter of protest from the Jewish Austrian Students and the Presidency Team of the Austrian Students’ Union at our university. The subject of the criticism was the setting of topics and the known political positioning of the head of the course, combined with the demand that the seminar be cancelled. The course director was informed on 4 March about the existence of the objections described. The university management, the dean and the head of the department initiated a discussion process, which included a meeting with the representatives of the Jewish Austrian Students’ Union and the presidential team of the Austrian Students’ Union on 17 March. As a result of this discussion, we came to the conclusion that, in view of the complexity of the problem, it seemed advisable to suspend the course for the time being.

Due to the discussion about the course, it seemed to us that a smooth running of the seminar could not be guaranteed. We also wanted to give space and time to an internal university discussion about the problem, which goes far beyond the individual course, and open it up to colleagues and students beyond the rectorate, the dean and the philosophy department. In this context, we are planning a course on “The Limits of Academic Freedom of Speech in the University Context” for the winter semester, in which this extremely important topic can be discussed not only from the philosophical side, but in an interdisciplinary and broad-based manner. The course director concerned, the above-mentioned students, colleagues from other departments, philosophy students and, if necessary, external experts should be invited to this.

It was our intention to organise the matter and the associated discussion process within the university. Unfortunately, however, it has now been taken to the media at an early stage. We hope that the process outlined above can nevertheless be implemented for all concerned.

The freedom of academic teaching is not negotiable, but the relationship between freedom and responsibility in the academic discourse of an open society must be discussed again and again. And we need time for that.

Hendrik Lehnert, Rector

Martin Weichbold, Vice Rector for Teaching

Martin Knoll, Dean of the Faculty of Cultural and Social Sciences

Alexander Hieke, Head of Philosophy, KGW Faculty