Who Is Thomas Hansen?
Thomas Hansen, born in Denmark, is the Reliance-Dhirubhai Ambani Professor of Anthropology at Stanford University. His research spans religion, colonialism, indigeneity, political anthropology, race, ethnicity, and collective identity. He also founded Stanford’s Center for South Asia and directed it from 2010 to 2017, placing him in a significant leadership role within the university.
Thomas Hansen’s academic portfolio focuses on power and identity. He uses this authority to give weight to his years of activism centered on anti-Israel themes, including support for academic boycotts and divestment campaigns along the lines of the BDS organization. For over a decade, Thomas Hansen has aligned himself with organized efforts to isolate Israeli institutions and pressure universities to adopt political positions. At Stanford University, this sustained effort raises questions about balance, academic neutrality, and whether students with opposing views can expect equal treatment in his classrooms.
How Has Thomas Hansen Promoted the Boycott of Israel?
Thomas Hansen’s support for the academic boycott of Israel spans multiple years and multiple forums. His involvement goes beyond theoretical sympathy and includes written advocacy, signed petitions, and alignment with professional efforts.
- July 2023 – Hansen, as a member of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and a supporter of the boycott on Israel, publicly criticized AAA leadership for allegedly failing to take a pro-boycott stance and refuted the idea that the organization should remain neutral and politically uninvolved.
- 2015 – he authored an article titled “Why I support the boycott of Israeli academic institutions,” explaining his support for boycotting Israeli academic institutions that he described as actively engaged in efforts supporting the “continued occupation” of Palestinian territory. He also referred to Israel’s “glaring acts of state violence.”
- February 2015 – he signed an open letter alongside Joel Beinin (who has contested the IHRA definition of antisemitism) urging Stanford University to “stop investing in companies that profit from the occupation of Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967.”
- 2014 – he was listed by the Amcha Initiative as an American university faculty member who signed the petition “Anthropologists for the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions.”
Thomas Hansen’s record reflects consistent alignment with BDS-style campaigns that target Israeli academic institutions. Academic boycotts, by definition, restrict scholarly exchange based on national affiliation, placing him at odds with the traditional norm of open intellectual collaboration.
What Has Thomas Hansen Said About Israel and Palestine?
Beyond boycott campaigns, Thomas Hansen has signed public statements, notably in 2021, condemning Israel for “brutality and violence” , stating that Israel “has declared itself an ethno-nation”, and pledging solidarity with the Palestinian people.
When a senior professor signs statements using such extreme language about one side in a conflict, it displays clear alignment. At a minimum, students and colleagues are left to interpret how such positions intersect with teaching, mentoring, and institutional authority.
Conclusion: What Does Thomas Hansen Mean for Stanford University?
Thomas Hansen’s public record shows a commitment to boycotting Israeli academic institutions, supporting divestment campaigns, and signing statements condemning Israel as part of a pattern that spans more than a decade. As a senior professor and former center director at Stanford University, he has held positions that shape research priorities and academic culture. When a faculty leader repeatedly supports academic boycotts that single out Israeli institutions, it inevitably affects campus climate and signals to students which viewpoints carry institutional legitimacy.
Stanford is federally funded and bound by Title VI obligations prohibiting discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnicity. While political speech is protected, advocacy that encourages exclusion of Israeli scholars raises broader questions about whether institutional commitments to nondiscrimination and academic openness are being upheld.
