The other day, I heard from a professor of chemistry at the University of Southern California who specializes in quantum chemistry. She has written or collaborated on several articles decrying the politicization of science. Anna got a master's degree in Moscow and is well-equipped to comment on how one scientific journal is responding to Russia's attack on Ukraine.
Anna got an email from a scientist who was reviewing a paper written by Russians. Here is the email that Anna's partner got.
“Thank you for reviewing this manuscript. I have to inform you that the editors of the Journal of Molecular Structure made a decision to ban the manuscripts submitted from Russian institutions. You must know that it is a ban on Russian institutions and not a judgment on scientists. Therefore I cannot accept the manuscript.
The reviewers had to send the Russian authors a rejection letter.
I regret to inform you that your manuscript cannot be considered for publication in the Journal of Molecular Structure. The editors of this journal, in the full assumption of their responsibilities as scientists and academics, decided not to consider any manuscript authored by scientists working at Russian Federation institutions as a result of the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Such invasion violates international law, jeopardizes world peace as well as the human rights of innocent citizens, and does not conform to the civilizational ideals of the 21st century. This decision will be in force until international legality is restored, and is extended to the institutions of the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.”
I quote the comments Anna gave me with her permission.
This is a full-blown academic boycott — chemistry journals refusing to publish papers authored by Russian scientists.
I am in favor of the strictest sanctions against Russia, up to the boots on the ground in Ukraine, but terminating scientific interactions and boycotting the scientists is the wrong thing to do. Having lived on both sides of the Iron Curtain, I consider such acts to be meaningless for the cause (Putin cannot care less about chemistry publishing), deeply unfair to the scientists who happened to live under the regime many of them do not support, and damaging to science and humanity.
Since the journal is run by Elsevier, she sent me this.
The person who got this email posted the update today that [he/she] was contacted by Elsevier and they said it was not an official decision of Elsevier but of the editor or editorial board of JMS. The representative [of Elsevier] said they do not support this decision.
So the question is — do we allow individual editorial boards to make decisions about imposing sanctions? Definitely not!
This decision won't change the minds of Putin and his cronies who are making war on Ukraine. The kind of boycott that is promoted by the Boycott,Divestment, and Sanctions movement is the same kind of boycott that was put into place during South Africa's apartheid regime.
Anna asked if we should punish individuals just because they live under a regime that did something other countries don't like, even if they didn't take part in those actions. This seems unfair. I understand the rationale for boycotts: what is our intervention in Russia's finances but a big step that will badly affect the well being of many normal, non-wealthy Russians? The only way to stop the war without shooting at Russians is to impose sanctions, which can hurt innocent people.
Is all sanctions equal? Russian scientists should not be allowed to publish what they have found because of the invasion of Ukraine. That hurts them, too, but in a different way than hurting a Russian whose life savings have just been slashed.
Please weigh in below. Do you like boycotts? Which ones? Can there be effective boycotts that don't hurt people?
All Rights Reserved © 2024
