After October 2023, a solidarity movement with Palestine emerged at universities, led by students and supported initially by a small number of academics, but later by a growing number. The year 2024 in particular saw a wave of occupations and acts of civil disobedience. In this context, numerous organisations were formed at German universities. In the winter of 2024/25, a series of academic conferences on the topic of Palestine followed (Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Berlin).
At the same time, despite positive approaches to self-organisation (Palestine Congress Networking, Students for Palestine on the student side, KriSol, Palestinian and Jewish Academics and the Uppsala Declaration on the academic side), we still cannot speak of collective, nationally coordinated and strategically structured solidarity with Palestine at German universities. The associated lack of transparency about structures and political uncertainty about today’s tasks and goals for our actions at German universities is an obstacle on the path to a broad-based movement.
Goals Of The Conference
In discussions within the student movement and at the conferences mentioned above, the university as an institution has only been partially understood in relation to capitalism, imperialism and settler colonialism. Solidarity with Palestine among students and academics is currently primarily symbolical and discursive. It is therefore very visible in the public sphere, but is expressed primarily through moral slogans or performative actions. This conference aims to take a step towards a deeper understanding of the university in capitalism and imperialism, on the basis of which a broad and sustainable campaign can then be developed.
The conference has the following objectives:
- Knowledge transfer and discussion about the role of Israeli and German academia in maintaining occupation, apartheid and the perpetration of genocide (also from a comparative and historical perspective
- Empowering students, academics and administrative staff at German universities to hold their institutions accountable
- Developing a joint overarching strategy for a boycott campaign in Germany
Costs & Finances
Budget planning & financing
The conference is estimated to cost 8.400 EUR, and will be financed through donations from organisations, crowdfunding, ticket sales and fundraising campaigns. You can find the details for the costs in the crowdfunding.
What will we do with any surplus funds?
Any funds remaining after the event are expected to be donated to support Palestinians suffering genocide.
PLEASE NOTE: Experience from past events such as the Palestine Congress has shown that legal costs can arise due to state repression! This is beyond our control, but will be communicated transparently should it occur.
Organizers
The Academic Boycott Now – Academics And Students For Palestine conference is organized by
Co-Organizers include
