Thread by @J_MaestreVidal

Sanctions are an important way to use nonmilitary means to put pressure on #Russia 🇷🇺 to end #UkraineRussiaWar
Today we are going to talk about an action related dimension that is rarely discussed on social media:

The pressure on the Scientific/Research Community

(1/15)🧵

According to a EC study on the war’s effects on R&D 25% #Russian 🇷🇺 researchers’ publications in 2000-2020 come from International collaboration.
High-impact publications are needed to access academic oportunities and make visible research findings shorturl.at/clnoR
(2/15)

Since initiated the #RussianUkrainianWar , #Ukraine 🇺🇦 estimates by the Young Scientists Council that 40% of the country’s science workforce was affected by the war. Some were mobilized, killed or missing. The vast majority, displaced
shorturl.at/hlmMU
(3/15)

Echoed by this, for example #EU 🇪🇺 mobilised its community support of people fleeing the war in #Ukraine. Specific programmes facilitate Ukraininan researchers to incorporate to new and existing actions at European and national levels. E.g.
euraxess.ec.europa.eu/ukraine
(4/15)

This may help to mitigate the damage, but what about the use of academic pressure on the 🇷🇺 aggressor?
#Ukraine’s 🇺🇦 Ministry of Education and Science, backed by its universities, issued a list of sanctions that may ultimately help undermine #Russia
shorturl.at/wFISV
(5/15)

These include blocking access to published research online for #Russian 🇷🇺 citizens and institutions, and banning Russian citizens from editing or reviewing in international journals. #Ukraine 🇺🇦 also written to rankings organisations to demand they exclude Russian actors
(6/15)

There were reactions: EU Ms stopped joint research projects with Russia. Some institutions, like the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility no longer allow submission for russian actors. Same for publishers like Journal of Molecular Structure
shorturl.at/iN238
(7/15)

For example, the #CERN council decided to terminate Russia’s observer status and the cooperation agreements with Belarus when they expire in two years (Ukraine is an associate member of CERN, which cooperation extends to several countries worldwide) shorturl.at/swMV8
(8/15)

According to John Ellis, a veteran physicist at #CERN: “Russians 🇷🇺 working at CERN are covered by international cooperation agreements. If these collapse, then there is no legal basis for them to work in Switzerland and yet some have signed open letters protesting war”
(9/15)

But despite all the above, the issue of banning publication in international journals by authors from Russian 🇷🇺 institutions remains controversial and is carefully considered by various stakeholders, which causes it to lose strength
(10/15)

For example, most publishers claim that it will do more harm than good by restricting exchanges of scientific knowledge around the world, and will not promote openness in science. Instead may amplify global crisis by unfairly punishing individuals
shorturl.at/pqvJK
(11/15)

Scientific publishers like Elsevier, Cambridge University Press, Springer Nature, etc. issued a joint Multi-Publisher Statement on Ukraine🇺🇦 to stop selling products in Russia/Belarus🇷🇺, but they would not refuse to publish work by russians, based on COPE's recommendation
(12/15)

A conclusion of my own: Given that sanctions for scientific action are perceived as a blunt weapon and are subject to the will of multiple non-state actors, it seems difficult to reach consensus.
The cost of sanctioning is perceived to be higher than not sanctioning
(13/15)

This casts doubt on its effectiveness in the short term, with an impact on human capital (over and above technological development) in the long term that could become relevant if war is prolonged.
(14/15)

At the same time, these actions explore avenues of unprecedented competitive pressure, which should be taken into account by the major international players in an increasingly distributed strategic landscape, where innovation/talent become decisive

What do you think?

(15/15)