Post #426176

My university, the University of Antwerp, is giving an honorary degree to Francesca Albanese, together with two other Belgian universities. I'm feeling very ambivalent about it. On the one hand it's obviously a positive gesture, an acknowledgement of the work she's done for justice in Palestine. But my university has not cut ties with Israeli institutions. They have not made a statement on the ongoing genocide and its impact on education for Palestinians. Hell, they haven't even dared to use the word 'genocide' at all. Even though we – critical students and staff – have urged them to do all of these things for years at this point. My worry is that this honorary degree is a very convenient get-out-of-jail-free card against criticism, because look at the statement they made! It's a way to polish their image without actually making meaningful changes to their own operations. It's not a matter of whether Albanese deserves an honorary degree. The question is whether my university deserves to hand it out. 🇵🇸 ✊ #FrancescaAlbanese #Palestine #Gaza #genocide #FreePalestine #Albanese #students #education #university #Antwerp #Antwerpen #Belgium