OFF-University e.V. and Transnational Experience of Academic Activism

Critical perspectives in science that question the existing structures and order are no longer possible in many countries and for many researchers. Therefore, we, a group of friends, colleagues, and colleagues of our friends living or exiled in Germany, came together to find out the most convenient solution to the crisis we were in. Most of us were forced to leave Turkey, facing political and juridical persecution, dismissal from our jobs, and occupational bans as “Academics for Peace” or simply for being progressive, anti-war, or unionized scientists. Others have been employed in German academia already for many years and maintained close ties with Turkey. The most convenient, the safest land without authoritarian states, even without borders and passports, in which we seek refuge was the “Digital”. The digital world provided us with platform opportunities where we could afford our long-suppressed dream of a new way of university education, a back door to reclaim our universities and pastures anew.