[TYPES] R: ETAPS bars Russian researchers from attending

[Marino Miculan]

I agree with Sergey.  Maybe some of you have missed the following post from the Russian Rectors' union, fully supporting the invasion of Ukraine. Signed by 185 rectors - I guess, all Russian universities (correct me if I am wrong).

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.rsr-online.ru/news/2022-god/obrashchenie-rossiyskogo-soyuza-rektorov1/__;!!IBzWLUs!FxNpRHKpndUzqHVYfL875gRNUF6LDxgWF3Lmq4IGTMUYwYiZDtAZM0erpyfBXgYOogbNe9OTV8A$ 

Giving space and visibility to research coming from these universities is tantamaunt to admit that these universities (and hence, their researchers, as far as we know) can support war crimes.

Of course, I am sure that there are many colleagues there against the invasion. But then, we have to distinguish between the responsibility of the single, and that of the institution.  For instance, I would have no problems if a researcher from a Russian university  registers and presents their results at ETAPS (or any other conference) without​ any affiliation.  That would be already a strong signal, as in "I'm here on my own, and I dissociate from my rector's opinions".

best
-marino


________________________________
Da: Types-list <types-list-bounces at LISTS.SEAS.UPENN.EDU> per conto di Sergey Goncharov <sergyy at gmail.com>
Inviato: martedì 8 marzo 2022 20:48
A: Neel Krishnaswami <neelakantan.krishnaswami at gmail.com>; types-list at lists.seas.upenn.edu <types-list at lists.seas.upenn.edu>
Oggetto: Re: [TYPES] ETAPS bars Russian researchers from attending

[ The Types Forum, http://lists.seas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/types-list ]

Dear Neel,

>
> There are many Russians (such as Jetbrains corporation) who have taken
> the serious personal risk of publically opposing the war, and barring
> them from our conferences due to their nationality feels wrong to me.
>
> It may well be that the financial sanctions regime means that
> registration payments cannot be accepted, but that is quite different
> from barring them personally.
>
> What do the rest of you think?
>

I personally think that you are underestimating the magnitude of the drastic events that are happening.
I might be biased, because I come originally from Ukraine and I have to watch now in real time how the
places where I lived and which I loved are being demolished cruelly and methodically together with the
population without any reason whatsoever. And I feel helpless seeing that I cannot do anything about it.

Collective responsibility is always a tricky thing. Normally, you do not want it. Normally. But the
present situation is far from normal, far far away from normal.

Is it OK to say, well, we are against a nazi regime, but there are many nice people in there, why should
we punish them? Maybe they are indeed nice, but they are serving that bloody regime. Nothing personal.
They do empower the regime, by their reputation, by making it look more prestigious, making it look
"normal" from the inside and the outside, which can, and (I assure you) will be used by propaganda
precisely in this way. If there is a chance to send a signal to the effect "it is not normal" in
whatever way, I am sorry, but I would do this by any means, without hesitation.

And it is not about "nationality", it is about "affiliation". Russians in Europe are "European
scientists", Russians in Russia are "Putin's scientists" -- that is how it works mentally. In that
sense, the formulation by ETAPS is very correct, in my opinion.

Cheers,
Sergey