Pressure on American academia: AU follows the situation and professor reconsiders US travel

Michael Bang Petersen, professor of political science at Aarhus University, will think twice before travelling to the US for work in the future.

"I have been on many trips to the US, including during Trump's first presidency, but I now assess more carefully whether it's necessary. Generally, I’m not particularly inclined to do so. Previously, I didn’t need much convincing to go and meet with colleagues. Now I will assess the necessity and pay even more attention to what the formal conditions of entry are," says Michael Bang Petersen.

There have been many stories recently about the Trump administration pressuring universities in the United States.

One such story is from March, when a French researcher on their way to a conference in Texas was suddenly denied entry at the airport and sent back to Europe on a flight. At US airport control, his computer and phone were searched, and according to the researcher, his offence was that he had expressed criticism of the US president, Donald Trump, in private messages.

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently updated its travel advice for the United States with the message that you should be "aware that the American authorities in certain situations may examine content on your electronic devices."

International director: Exchange is largely unaffected by the situation in the US – only a few AU students have cancelled their exchange

US developments impact Danish universities

Internally in the US, Trump has frozen billions of dollars for Harvard University because the institution refuses to comply with his demands. Several universities are in an open dispute with the US government. At the same time, there is talk of a brain drain from American universities, where researchers are instead looking to other countries. 

Not only American universities are affected by the situation. The University of Copenhagen has around 40 research projects that are fully or partially funded by American funds, and a handful of them are at risk of closure, says deputy director of Research and Information Security at UCPH Kim Brinckmann to Danish newspaper Berlingske. UCPH has examined which words are used in project descriptions that the Trump administration believes should not be included in public records. For example, terms like LGBTQ, diversity, and climate, the newspaper reports.

For one of the projects, UCPH has received "firm messages that it must be closed," Kim Brinckmann says.

The development has also caused UCPH rector David Dreyer Lassen to react. Regarding travel, UCPH staff travelling to the US should consider whether they need to bring a clean computer, he says to the University Post.

In April, he wrote in a message on UCPH’s intranet that Trump’s actions and priorities are already "affecting research funding, research areas, specific research projects, and individual researchers at UCPH."

"The political shift in the United States also becomes very present when researchers with American grants receive official questionnaires asking about, among other things, Chinese connections, compliance with US governance, climate and gender identity. The questionnaires can be interpreted as indirect pressure on research, and therefore, they should not be answered. Instead, the closest manager should be involved in the matter," the UCPH rector writes.

Jørn Brøndal, professor and head of the Center for American Studies at the University of Southern Denmark, has also felt the consequences of the new US policies. Part of a grant from the US Embassy in Denmark for a series of events on US politics may not be disbursed, as SDU's application included DEI concepts, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion. He has shared this with, among others, Berlingske.

AU professor: "It gives food for thought"

In recent months, AU professor Michael Bang Petersen has spoken about the developments in the US and Donald Trump, both to Danish and American media and on his own social media. He has been interviewed by The New York Times, where he discussed Trump's personality and how it shapes his leadership of the United States. Here, Michael Bang Petersen states, among other things, that Trump has "all the characteristics of a dominance-oriented leader," as he "appears aggressive, self-centred, norm-breaking."

It’s only natural to ask whether Michael Bang Petersen himself is concerned about the potential consequences of speaking out on Trump and his policies.

"Obviously, it gives food for thought. I have previously provided my social media accounts in connection with entry to the United States, so they are available in the system. The Canadian Association of University Teachers has recommended that Canadian academics avoid non-essential travel to the United States if they have publicly criticised Trump. I am not the right person to assess whether there is reason to follow their recommendation. But it's the bigger picture, including the statements from certain places and the concrete examples, that make it clear that I would only travel if it’s really important," Michael Bang Petersen says.

"Of course, the most likely scenario is that everything goes smoothly, but it’s a matter of what kind of risk it is and when there’s no reason to take a risk," he says.

He refers, among other things, to a case from early May reported by DR, where two young Danes were denied entry to the US and detained for several days in Hawaii because they arrived on an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which was not the correct one, as they were planning to work voluntarily, which requires a visa.

"What does this actually mean for work-related entry for university staff? I am not sure about that. This creates some uncertainties that have not been present before,"  Michael Bang Petersen says.

US grants cancelled

In April, Michael Bang Petersen shared a startling concern among international researchers in the United States. The largest association of political scientists, the American Political Science Association, is holding a conference in Canada this September. However, the association has received inquiries from concerned international researchers based in the US who are nervous about travelling to Canada for fear that the US may not let them back in. The association has therefore been forced to also offer a virtual solution for the conference.

"In other words, researchers in the United States are so terrified of their own government that they do not dare to travel. Think about how crazy it actually is," Michael Bang Petersen wrote on LinkedIn.

On his LinkedIn profile, he has also reacted to the fact that the American National Research Council has discontinued funding for research on misinformation. What we are seeing in the United States "is a direct attack on science," he writes. In the post, he reminds readers that he himself researches misinformation, and if he had received funding from the US National Science Foundation, he too would have been affected. Among other things, Michael Bang Petersen has researched vaccine resistance and misinformation and has many collaborators in these research fields, he explains.

"On my Facebook feed, I can see that a number of them are currently having their grants cancelled by NSF (National Science Foundation). Some of the fields I work in are being undermined – in other words, less knowledge is being produced than would otherwise be the case. This gives rise to reflections. If part of my funding had been American, I wouldn't have it today. But they are not, and I do not live in the US, so in that way it does not have a direct effect on my own research," Michael Bang Petersen says.

His central project is Magtudredningen 2.0 (Danish Democracy & Power Study 2.0, ed.), which runs until 2028. That means that travel to the US is currently not a top priority.

He has no qualms about entering into collaborations with American researchers or universities in the future, he says.

"No, I wouldn't have any. Part of securing research in a world where research is under attack is also about continuing research collaborations. But of course, it raises questions about research freedom and data security, for example. I think today we’re less sure about whether you can freely conduct research in an NSF-funded project, or who has access to the data we share with American researchers, compared to before," he says.

Rector: "We are following the situation closely"

Compared to UCPH, AU seems to be taking it easier. AU also has fewer research collaborations with American funding compared to UCPH, the university reports.

In a written statement to Omnibus, rector Brian Bech Nielsen addresses the broader changes taking place in the American higher education landscape, as well as the more specific concerns about travel to and stays in the United States.

“We have taken note of the significant changes being implemented by the US administration, including major budget cuts at several universities. For decades, our researchers have had extensive and highly valuable collaborations with American colleagues. We have not introduced new guidelines for travel to or stays in the US, but follow the travel advice provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We are following the situation closely and will respond if specific circumstances arise,” the rector states.

Important to support staff through uncertainties

The situation in the US is a hot topic among colleagues, Michael Bang Petersen says. It's something that is talked about in the corridors, and people are discussing with their international colleagues how to approach it. It’s about both personal security concerns and the broader issue of how to protect research and science under pressure. The professor understands that it can be difficult for the university to relate to concrete, uncertain elements.

"I think it’s important that local management has discussions around these issues and supports staff when making decisions about entry and how to best protect themselves in that situation." It’s a constantly changing situation, which makes things more complicated for the university. At the same time, we are in a situation where Denmark is not only concerned with an attack on American freedom of research, but also with an international conflict situation regarding Greenland with the United States. "In this way, it might be especially important for the university to be particularly attentive in coordinating upwards to understand how we should act best," Michael Bang Petersen states:

"But at the same time, it is the university's responsibility both to stand up for freedom of research and to best equip staff to deal with concerns. In any case, it is important that the management is present and does not leave the staff alone with the uncertainties they may have," he says.

This text is machine translated and post-edited by Cecillia Jensen.