The public positioning of universities on controversial issues: a framing analysis of pro-Palestine manifestations at Harvard, LSE and SPO

This article examines how higher education institutions manage public positioning during highly polarised crises, focusing on pro-Palestinian protests at Harvard University, the London School of Economics (LSE) and Sciences Po between 2023 and 2025. Using qualitative framing analysis, the study explores how governance structures and funding models shape institutional communication. Findings reveal a tension between internal institutional frames and external pressures from donors and political actors, as well as the growing importance of protest symbolism in shaping public narratives. The cases show how universities are drawn into wider political polarisation, limiting their capacity to maintain neutrality. The study concludes that universities cannot avoid controversy in polarised conflicts; their legitimacy depends on transparent, well-framed and proactive communication that balances diverse stakeholder expectations while safeguarding academic values and institutional autonomy.