Webinar: Bullshit studies? Academic freedom and the pushback against gender

A new political climate is putting academic freedom to the test. We are pleased to share the recording from our insightful webinar addressing the current state of academic freedom and the standing of gender studies from September 1st.

The recording will be available until September 19th. 

Speakers

· Mari Sundli Tveit, Director General of the Research Council of Norway
· Rebecca Lund, Centre Director at the Centre for Gender Research at the University of Oslo
· Torjer A. Olsen, Professor of Indigenous Studies at the Centre for Sami Studies at the University of Tromsø
· Marcela Linková, Researcher at Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Head of Centre for Gender and Science and coordinates the Horizon Europe project GENDERACTIONplus

The conversation is moderated by Kristin Engh Førde, Director of Kilden genderresearch.no.

Key points from the discussion

• Labeling disciplines like the humanities and social sciences—including gender studies—as “bullshit studies” reflects a fundamental lack of understanding of their core contribution: helping society gain deeper insight into itself.

• Several panelists drew parallels to political developments in countries like the USA, Hungary, and Russia, where academic freedom is under significant pressure.

• The responsibility to defend academic freedom cannot fall solely on individual researchers. It requires strong, collective support from universities, research councils, and the entire academic community.

• Restricting research to fields with “immediate utility” undermines the knowledge base that a healthy democracy depends on. Critical thinking is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.

About us

Kilden genderresearch.no is a national knowledge centre for gender perspectives and gender balance in research. We are organized as an independent department within the Research Council of Norway.
 

Background 

This fall, a prominent Norwegian politician, Peter Frølich, labeled fields like "Gender, Sexuality, and Diversity" as "bullshit studies," questioning their value in a society with scarcity in the working force. 

Does this debate echo a global anti-intellectual rhetoric that takes direct aim at critical studies? From the United States to European countries such as Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria, academic institutions are becoming a political battleground. Under the banner of utility and tradition, the governments are rolling back measures for diversity, equity, and inclusion, most recently by the Trump administration’s targeting of DEI programs. Specific research topics and words such as "woman," "pregnancy," and "trans" has been flagged by the Trump administration, with funding for critical inquiry into gender and diversity being cut.

In what way will this development, heavily influenced by the MAGA movement effect not only American researchers, but the international academic community?

As Mari Sundli Tveit, director of the Research Council of Norway has pointed out, the development in the US "will initially affect American researchers and research but will also have major consequences for research and knowledge development in the rest of the world”. What consequences will this development have on gender studies, and studies with a gender perspective? Will it affect Horizon Europe’s commitment to gender equality?

What does this shift mean for the future of academia, and how should the field of gender studies respond?

This webinar will address:

· In what ways do populist policies, like those seen under Trump, affect gender research and academic freedom in Norway and the rest of Europe?

· Why are gender studies and related critical fields so frequently targeted in these political attacks?

· Are academic disciplines without perceived "immediate utility" becoming more vulnerable to political intervention?

· How secure is academic freedom in Europe today, and what must be done to protect it?

Our speakers will each provide a five-minute introduction, sharing their unique perspectives on the current state of academic freedom and the standing of gender studies before we open the floor for discussion.