Fearing arrests, Australian academics refuse to attend US conferences
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Not only have Australian academics canceled trips to major US conferences, but scholarships are also being rescinded and grant funding is being pulled.
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An American and Australian flag hang from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the grounds of the White House Complex in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 (AP)
As Donald Trump begins his second term, a growing number of Australian academics are reconsidering travel to the United States, citing fears of detention, visa denial, and the loss of academic freedom.
Among them is Gemma Lucy Smart, a disabled PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, who recently declined to attend a major social sciences conference in Seattle due to safety concerns.
Initially overjoyed by the invitation to attend, she concluded that going was too dangerous and would instead participate remotely.
Shortly after Trump's inauguration, the Society for Social Studies of Science declared their meeting "hybrid" in reaction to "unforeseen" changes at the US border.
“They were concerned about people entering,” Smart said.
Her decision reflects a wider trend, as researchers—particularly those from marginalized communities—face increasing uncertainty and risk at the US border, prompting organizers to go hybrid and raising alarms about the future of global academic collaboration.
“I work on the history of psychiatry, so my field has a lot to do with diversity, equity, and inclusion. They [the conference organizers] very explicitly said, ‘We don’t believe it is safe for everyone to travel to the US, particularly our trans and diverse colleagues.’"
The conference co-chairs revealed the hybrid move on January 21, one day after Trump began his second term. They stated that the decision was based on "conversations with disability justice and environmental justice scholars and activists."
"It also comes on the heels of political shifts that have made travel to the US more tenuous for many STS [science, technology, and society] contributors," the co-chairs detailed.
Not only have Australian academics canceled trips to major US conferences, but scholarships are also being rescinded and grant funding is being pulled as the consequences of Trump administration policies continue to unfold.
This comes amid media reports of travelers’ devices being searched at US borders and people being denied entry — including a French scientist whose phone contained messages critical of Donald Trump.
