Academic freedom threatened: AfD attacks gender studies!

Academic freedom threatened: AfD attacks gender studies!

In recent weeks, attacks on academic freedom in Germany have increased in intensity. The current debate is largely shaped by the announcements of Alice Weidel, candidate for chancellor of the Alternative for Germany (AfD). At the party conference on January 18, 2025, they announced that they would discontinue gender studies and dismiss the relevant professors. These statements are judged by the academic community to be unconstitutional and anti-democratic. The Executive Board of the European University of Flensburg then supported the statement of the Gender Studies Association on February 17, 2025, thereby sending a signal against the threatened restriction of academic freedom. Loud uni-flensburg.de Such interventions in academic structures are not only harmful to scientific institutions, but also endanger the democratic order.

Academic freedom is protected by Article 5, Paragraph 3 of the Basic Law in Germany and is internationally recognized as a human right. This freedom is a fundamental component of democratic states and goes hand in hand with the freedom of society. Interventions such as those propagated by the AfD could not only affect gender studies, but could also extend to other academic disciplines. This is a worrying sign that calls into question the independence of science as a whole, warns s4f-saarland.org.

A call to defend academic freedom

Scientists for Future (S4F) calls on all democratic parties to stand up for academic freedom and resolutely reject attacks on scientific areas. The Science Council emphasizes that the analysis of social phenomena through science is fundamental for political debates. The attacks on scientific disciplines that deal with social and ecological challenges endanger the acceptance of fundamental findings and could endanger scientific progress in the long term.

Science fulfills an essential function in democracy and does not contradict emancipatory goals. Constructive criticism and open discussions are crucial for continued progress. S4F-Saarland, a supra-institutional and interdisciplinary group of scientists, calls for the defense of academic freedom as an indispensable part of the democratic system. The organization has been active since 2019 and represents the voice of science in the political discussion.

Academic freedom in the European context

The discussion about academic freedom will receive additional context through the upcoming Freedom of Research Summit, taking place on November 5th and 6th, 2025. This summit, organized by the Charlemagne Prize Foundation and RWTH Aachen, aims to reflect on the role of academic freedom in Europe. The focus is on topics such as science diplomacy, populist challenges and climate change. The call for contributions was made on February 11, 2025, with a deadline of March 31, 2025. rwth-aachen.de announced that travel expenses for speakers will be covered to encourage broad participation.

The summit will explore key questions, including the importance of academic freedom in times of societal division and how the scientific community can build bridges in such challenging times. Given the current threats, it is even more important to send a strong signal for the independence and value of science.