Towers of Ivory and Steel: Scrutinizing our university’s complicities and possibilities

The longstanding impasse between Israel and the Palestinians took on a particularly violent turn in October 2023. However, this violence did not come out of nowhere.  Numerous views have been expressed, articles have been written and events (including Teach Ins) have been organized on our university’s campuses, through which it has become clear that the context of this impasse, and the violence associated with it, involves the complicity of multiple actors and institutions, including companies and universities. 

All of this raises fundamental questions about the responsibilities of Dutch academic institutions when confronted with the complicity of their partner institutions in atrocity crimes. 

Dr Maya Wind, an Israeli anthropologist who is currently based at the University of British Columbia, has made an important contribution to this discussion with her powerful new book.  

In Towers of Ivory and Steel: How Israeli Universities Deny Palestinian Freedom (Verso Books 2024), Dr Wind provides extensive evidence to challenge the notion that Israeli universities are 'liberal bastions of freedom and democracy'. 

Beyond discussing these institutions’ direct complicity in atrocity crimes, she also explains how these institutions stifle dissent of students and faculty, not only on their own campuses, but in relation to Palestinian academic institutions, scholars and students.

Speakers

Keynote speaker

Dr Maya Wind, University of British Columbia, Canada

Foreword

Dr Dina Zbeidy, Leiden University of Applied Sciences

Respondents 

Professor Rosalba Icaza, International Institute of Social Studies, EUR (Hague Campus)
Tom van Dijken, Student, EUR University Council
Aki Negate, student member, EUR University Council
Dr Davarian Baldwin, Trinity College (online)

Organizers and additional contributors

Dr Siobhán Airey, Erasmus School of Law, EUR (Woudestein Campus) 
Dr Isabel Awad, Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication, EUR (Woudestein Campus) 
Dr Jeff Handmaker, International Institute of Social Studies, EUR (Hague Campus)
Dr Gabi Helfert, Rotterdam School of Management (Woudestein Campus)
Dr Anissa Pelouto, Erasmus Medical Centre, EUR (EUMC Campus) 
Dr Irene van Oorschot, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, EUR (Woustein Campus) 
Dr Zara Sharif, Erasmus University College, EUR (Rotterdam City Campus) 

Moderator

Dr Jiska Engelbert, Associate Professor and VCC theme lead, Erasmus University Rotterdam 

We invite you to join us to hear more about Dr Wind’s book and to discuss this with other members of EUR community who bring diverse and critical perspectives to this discussion.