Learning from Abroad
As the debate over academic freedom in Germany gains prominence due to increasing attacks, it is important to widen our gaze and look beyond borders: In many countries, the freedom of research and teaching is no longer merely the subject of academic discussions, it is severely restricted —from political interference, institutional restructuring, repression, and growing (self-)censorship. The planned webinar lecture series “Learning from Abroad” complements WissDem’s existing offerings with a decidedly international and experience-based perspective. The focus is on reports, analyses, and reflections by scholars who work or have worked in contexts where academic freedom is already under pressure or has been systematically restricted. Relying on case studies from countries such as Turkey, Georgia, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, the U.S.A. and India, various dynamics of restriction become apparent: from political control of university structures to the dismissal and criminal prosecution of researchers and students, to the creeping establishment of a climate of fear and self-censorship.
The invited experts contribute not only analytical perspectives but, above all, the experiential knowledge that is so important to us: They have experienced the creeping yet often disruptive forms of restrictions and repression and share their best practices for coping with increasing pressure, as well as forms of collective organization and avenues of resistance.
The aim of the lecture series is therefore not only to inform about threats to academic freedom but also to open up concrete avenues for action:
- How can restrictive political interventions be identified early on?
- Which institutional and solidarity-based practices have proven effective in other contexts?
- And how can transnational cooperation contribute to strengthening and protecting academic freedom?
In sum, the “Learning from Abroad” webinar series is conceived as a space for exchange, solidarity, and collective knowledge production with the goal of learning from international experiences and being able to counter the creeping and abrupt restrictions on academic freedom in the present.
Upcoming dates
Learning from Abroad #1: USA
Learning from Abroad #2: Hungary
The Illiberal Playbook in Academia: Hungary, Transnational Networks, and Academic Resistance
Description
Understanding the Hungarian illiberal playbook in higher education and research, facilitating the circulation of strategies aimed at transforming state institutions and redefining national identity, is essential for recognizing broader global patterns of democratic backsliding. Equally important is the development of protective mechanisms for academic freedom and institutional autonomy. Initiatives such as the Pocket Guide for Academics Under Attack provide practical tools for scholars facing political pressure, harassment, and restrictions on research and teaching. By examining both the diffusion of illiberal strategies and the emergence of transnational resistance networks, the webinar highlights how academia can strengthen democratic resilience and defend the principles of intellectual freedom in increasingly hostile political environments.
Andrea Pető is a Professor at the Department of Gender Studies at Central European University, Vienna, Austria, a Research Affiliate of the CEU Democracy Institute, Budapest, Her works on gender, illiberalism, and politics have been translated into 26 languages. She received numerous awards for her contributions to public life, including the 2018 All European Academies (ALLEA) Madame de Staël Prize for Cultural Values and the 2022 University of Oslo Human Rights
Learning from Abroad #3: Poland
Description
No rest for the Polish academics…After a period of institutional reforms underpinned by political polarisation, the change of government in 2023 opened expectations of renewal. Yet many of the structural problems of Polish academia remain unresolved: underfunding of research, unstable rules of evaluation, precarious careers, uneven internationalisation, and ever-lasting tensions between institutional autonomy and political steering, all against the background of unpredictable geopolitics. Since pressures on academic institutions is likely to grow in the future, the talk will take stock of some of the most important factors in the current condition of Polish universities and research institutions as seen through the lens of the broader transformation of Polish society and democracy. Which legacies of previous reforms continue to shape academic life? Is there an opportunity for more fundamental reconstruction, or should we brace for more neo-liberal governance mixed with political hand-steering?
Marta Bucholc is Professor of Sociology at the University of Warsaw, a Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna, and a member of the Council of Poland’s National Science Centre (NCN).
Learning from Abroad #4: Turkey
Description
This talk will examine the cyclical impact of authoritarianism on academic freedom and university autonomy in Turkey, demonstrating how successive periods of political authoritarianism have historically eroded academic freedom and constrained university autonomy. Psychology departments will be used as a case study to demonstrate the dynamics of censorship and self-censorship.
Olga Selin Hünler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Acıbadem University.
Learning from Abroad #5: India
Description
The talk will discuss the parallel trajectory of democratic backsliding and erosion of academic freedom in recent times. Reviewing the history of academic freedom in India, it will show why democracy is a necessary but not sufficient condition for academic freedom.
Niraja Gopal Jayal is the Avantha Chair and Professor of Politics at King’s India Institute, King’s College London.
Learning from Abroad #6: Serbia
Registration to follow
Description
In 2025, students’ protests shook Serbian society. The academic community has been part of this tectonic movement in an unparalleled manner. The talk will offer reflections on the time required for social engagement, authoritarian responses to nonviolence, and the equation of the academy with the enemy.
Adriana Zaharijević is a philosopher based in Belgrade, where she works at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory as a Principal Research Fellow.
Further reading: Brave Bodies in the Street (IWMpost) · Serbia’s students are showing the world democratic hope (The Guardian, 2025)
All other WissDem events can be found on the Webinars page.