Where fear and coercion are being used to threaten even the freedom to think

By Brendan O’Malley – Managing Editor. In Features, Brendan O’Malley outlines a new report from Scholars at Risk, which documents how not only militant groups but state forces in many countries are using violence, imprisonment and intimidation to silence students and academics and close down the space in which alternative ideas or critical thinking can emerge.
In News, Yojana Sharma reports on the fears being raised over the upholding of academic freedom on foreign campuses in China in the wake of its ideological tightening of freedoms in its own universities.
In Commentary, we offer two opposing points of view on the proposed academic boycott of Israel. John Kelly argues that a total boycott could ensure Israeli academics and students force their government to ease restrictions on Palestinian universities; while David Newman argues that the activities of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement serve only to weaken the chances of Israeli-Palestinian rapprochement.
Also in Commentary, Peter Tindemans says we should think in novel ways about reshaping doctoral training to cope with the reality that many doctorate holders will end up in non-research positions.
In World Blog, William Patrick Leonard says international students looking to study in South Korea should shop around to find the institutions which run courses in English at their level, because some institutions are better prepared than others to offer them.
In our Special Report on the 14th General Assembly of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, Wachira Kigotho hears a warning that the quality of education in African universities must be improved to reduce the increased risk of brain drain stemming from internationalisation. Read more...