Elite philanthropy, neoliberal universities, and the politics of suppression: The case of the Palestine solidarity encampments

In the fall of 2023, a wave of student-led protests against Israel’s deadly assault on Gaza sparked widespread solidarity encampments on North American university campuses, demanding institutional divestment and accountability. These protests were met with severe pushback from university administrations, including increased surveillance, police interventions, and restrictions on protest activities. This essay examines the critical yet understudied role of philanthropic power in shaping university responses to these movements. We argue that the donor reaction to the contemporary Palestine solidarity student movement showcases how philanthropic power is exercised within the neoliberal university to reproduce status quo politics, thus foreclosing the possibility of working toward alternative political-economic structures and institutional arrangements grounded in justice, equity, and dignity for all. By situating these events within broader trends of austerity, corporatization, anti-Palestinian racism, and the erosion of academic freedom, we show how financial precarity in universities amplifies donor influence, often at the expense of the university’s purported mission of free expression, critical thought and accountability to students.