Actualité of political anti-intellectualism. Attacks on universities in France and the United States

Conference by Éric Fassin (Université Paris-8, SOPHIAPOL, Institut Universitaire de France), organized by CLADS, CRAPUL and CEG

April 2, 2025, 6:15-8:00 p.m

Unil, Géopolis, room 1620

In France as in the United States, and in many other countries, for years now we have witnessed the rise of a political discourse (often emanating from governments) targeting universities, critical knowledge and in particular minority issues, whether sexual or racial. From campaigns against the (so-called) “gender ideology” and then against Critical Race Theory or intersectionality, to the polemics against “Islamo-leftism”, “wokeness” or “cancel culture”, the attacks are constantly escalating, and even more so since October 7, 2023, with the accusation of anti-Semitism, up to the offensive launched by Donald Trump since his first day in office. Today, the concept of anti-intellectualism can serve to analyze the genealogy of this neofascist moment of neoliberalism.