Christina Kullberg: “A place for critical thinking”

"Vi måste problematisera mer och inte bli bekväma – det är vår roll som intellektuella", säger Christina Kullberg, professor i franska. Foto: Mikael Wallerstedt
“We researchers and university teachers need to become more aware of the state of academic freedom in Sweden,” says Christina Kullberg, Professor of French. “Before becoming project manager of Democracy and Higher Education, I actually had no idea that it is not constitutionally protected in Sweden. I don’t think I’m alone in this.”
Why is academic freedom important?
The University must be a place for critical thinking and questioning. Academic freedom is the foundation of scientific evidence-based knowledge. It ensures an open and unbiased pursuit of knowledge and testing of theses. Academic freedom is also important pedagogically. At the University, it should be possible for critical discussions to take place in a way that allows different theses to battle each other in a safe space, which is fundamental to a democratic society.
What specific challenges do you see for academic freedom in the world and/or in Sweden?
As Uppsala researchers have shown, Sweden ranks low in various indices of academic freedom. This is due, in part, to the fact that universities in Sweden are public authorities and academic freedom is not protected in the constitution. This in itself is a threat; it is precarious in Sweden, to say the least. In recent years, we have seen a growing tendency for politicians in democratic states to try to influence what is researched, what courses are taught and how. Sweden is part of that trend. The challenges are also linked to technology and media.
How can academic freedom be strengthened?
We researchers and university teachers need to become more aware of the state of academic freedom in Sweden. Before becoming project manager of Democracy and Higher Education, I actually had no idea that it is not constitutionally protected in Sweden. I don’t think I’m alone in this.
But beyond educating ourselves, I want to highlight critical conversations about academic freedom as a concept and practice. We need to problematise more and not get comfortable – that is our role as intellectuals! It is dangerous to take rights for granted. In this respect, I would like to point to Uppsala’s Vice-Chancellor as a good example when he clearly spoke out against the proposed law for the obligatory reporting of undocumented people. This was a strong and important stand in defence of academic freedom.
Can we take inspiration from universities in other countries?
Yes, Swedish university teachers should look to other places in the world where people have had to fight for their rights. What can we learn from countries like South Africa, where university teachers used their knowledge and gave their time to teach texts banned by the apartheid regime? Here we can find strategies to actively resist, for example, when right-wing extremist forces infiltrate teaching in order to silence it, such as what occurred most recently at Karlstad University. What can we learn from India, for example, about the integration of other languages and classes in teaching and recruitment? And what obligations do researchers have towards the wider community, for example in relation to the climate issue?
Annica Hulth
A Week on Academic Freedom
"A Week on Academic Freedom" is a joint initiative by the research program Democracy and Higher Education, Higher Education and Research as Objects of Study, and Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study. A series of events will be organized on the common theme of academic freedom over the course of a week. All events take place in Uppsala between October 23–27.