Why Not Talk About BDS?

Last week I spoke with Corey Robin, who teaches in the Brooklyn College political science department, about the department’s decision to co-sponsor a panel of speakers who are advocates for the controversial Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The event became embroiled in a high-profile dispute over academic freedom after local elected officials attempted to pressure the department to withdraw its co-sponsorship, and some even threatened the college’s funding over the matter. In this clip, Robin and I discuss the drawbacks for BDS opponents in attempting to silence these sorts of discussions: