Sanctions and Science: Academic Freedom, Scientific Collaboration and Pathways for Engagement

Abstract

Speakers Encieh Erfani, Perimeter Institute James Hammond, University of London Sanctions are widely used as instruments of foreign policy, but their consequences often extend beyond governments and political institutions. Researchers and universities may face restrictions on international mobility, research funding, banking services, scientific equipment, digital platforms, publishing and cross-border collaboration. Such barriers can isolate individual scholars and weaken scientific communities, including those with no connection to the governments being targeted. This panel will examine the effects of sanctions on science through both critical analysis and practical experience. Dr Encieh Erfani will discuss the broader consequences of sanctions for researchers and academic institutions, drawing particularly on the experience of Iran and Iranian scholars. Professor James Hammond will present his experience of working with scientists in North Korea through the Mount Paektu Research Centre, offering an important example of successful scientific cooperation despite political tensions and sanctions. Together, the speakers will consider how scientific engagement can be maintained under restrictive conditions, what can be learned from existing initiatives, and how science diplomacy may help preserve communication, trust, and cooperation when formal political relations are limited. The discussion will also explore how sanctions policies and their implementation could better distinguish between state institutions and individual researchers while protecting academic freedom and scientific exchange.