Chaos and uncertainty reign at American universities, where multimillion-dollar budgets are being slashed due to diversity programmes or other ideological disputes. More and more researchers are reportedly considering leaving for safer havens—Brussels, for instance. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is proactively opening its doors to scientists who face obstruction or censorship in their home country.
Political scientist Christina Bache, from the Centre for Migration, Diversity, and Justice (Brussels School of Governance, VUB), is both pleased and shocked. “I study vulnerable, conflict-affected environments, often in undemocratic states. And now we need this kind of initiative for the US. It’s mind-blowing.”
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel opens its doors to international postdoctoral researchers whose work is under threat. The university is also actively reaching out to American professors interested in relocating to Brussels as part of the Brains for Brussels programme. Together with its French-speaking counterpart, ULB, the VUB is offering eighteen apartments to foreign researchers seeking temporary accommodation at the Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies. The cherry on top? A new contact point for American researchers, providing information on research opportunities, visa applications, and life in Brussels.
The VUB’s initiative is a response to the alarming political interference in academic research by the Trump administration. How are your American colleagues reacting? In shock? In disbelief?
Christina Bache: "It may sound strange, but it partly depends on whether they know someone directly affected by structural discrimination or if they have personally experienced being on the receiving end. My maternal grandfather immigrated from Mexico with his family when he was seven years old and later joined what was then called the US Army Air Force as a young adult. His daughter— my mother—was born in America and faced various forms of discrimination throughout her entire life. Among the stories she shared about facing discrimination, she mentioned that she had to use separate restrooms designated for non-white individuals until she attended university. Friends of mine who grew up with similar family stories—including Jewish-American friends—are less surprised by what’s happening now than those who lack an intimate understanding of what institutional discrimination feels like or what it means to be the best citizen and still not be considered good enough to benefit fully from the democratic system."
What is happening today is particularly surprising and shocking for Americans who don’t share that experience?
"Academics from various backgrounds are pushing back against Project 2025, which seeks to reshape the federal government and society along ultraconservative lines. Those who understand structural racism and discrimination often have a deeper, sometimes personal, awareness of how this agenda intertwines with American history. The marginalisation of minority groups and the suppression of dissent are longstanding undercurrents in US society. Remember the American war in Vietnam or the civil rights protests—back then, the FBI sent agents after critical students and professors.”
"USAID’s budget was less than one percent of the federal budget approved by Congress. Compare that to the thirteen percent allocated to defence.”
Your surname suggests European roots?
"Yes, my father, William Bache, is of German descent. He rose to the rank of Colonel in the US Army and served with the 101st during the American War in Vietnam, but as a student, he was deeply involved in the civil rights movement. I learned a great deal from his stories about social justice issues and the importance of collective action to address them.”
Fun fact: you and your father run a book club on the Second World War—The Belgium Battles and Books Club. Was this a regular breakfast-table topic?
"Absolutely! (laughs) Not only was my father a soldier, but his father was too, and so was his mother. Our shared interest in the two World Wars, and war in general, stems from our understanding of the personal sacrifices often made during such horrific moments in history. We published a special edition of our monthly newsletter featuring a collection of books that celebrate America's diversity and multiculturalism, highlight the structural inequalities and racism that have long plagued our society, and amplify the stories of courageous Americans who have fought against tyranny, even when they did not benefit from a fair and just system at home. The next book we will discuss, “The Nine,” tells the story of nine women, all members of the French, Dutch, and Polish resistance during WWII.”
Was there a specific reason for that edition?
"It was triggered by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to Brussels for the February NATO conference on Ukraine. That same week, the administration sent a letter to hundreds of American military libraries and school libraries at military bases, instructing them to remove references to events like Women’s History Month, Black History Month, and even Holocaust Remembrance Day. In some cases, this involved withdrawing books that acknowledge the multiculturalism of our country, pending a review of library collections. We wanted to demonstrate our opposition to the reckless policy of whitewashing history, restricting intellectual freedom, and censoring books, which all undermine our collective knowledge.”
Even military cemeteries are affected, it seems.
"My grandparents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. The official cemetery website used to recognise the heroic acts of certain groups of soldiers, such as women and people of color, who, even though they faced systemic inequality and discrimination in society, still served in the military. However, as of the last week, that’s all gone.”
The argument is that everyone should be treated equally, regardless of identity.
"Yes, but that overlooks the structural inequalities faced by groups historically marginalised in our society. For instance, Black American soldiers risked their lives fighting against tyranny during WWII. However, if they survived and returned home, they encountered state-sanctioned segregation, including being denied access to the same schools as white individuals. It was only with the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 that legal segregation ended, but de facto segregation and discrimination still exist today. It’s essential to recognise that struggle—just as it is for LGBTQ+ people, women, or people with disabilities because the consequences of unfair and unjust state policies have lasting impacts on generations of Americans.”
You wrote a critical opinion piece in Knack about the dismantling of USAID, the agency responsible for US foreign aid and development cooperation. It’s clearly an issue close to your heart.
"Throughout my two-decade professional career, I have focused on understanding the frameworks necessary for inclusive development and sustainable peace in fragile and conflict-affected environments. My first job after graduate school was with a contracting agency at USAID, where I worked in the Office of Public-Private Partnerships and later in the Office of Food for Peace. For the past two years, I served as an external advisor on gender and inclusion for a State Department-funded program called WE-CHAMPS, which aimed at promoting economic inclusion for women in emerging economies. There were thousands of similar development-oriented initiatives, all contributing to creating sustainable, peaceful societies. Now, they have been eliminated with a single stroke of a pen. I’m furious about it.”
Ending development cooperation aligns with Project 2025’s agenda.
"The Trump administration, with backing from the Heritage Foundation, executed their plan flawlessly. This is an assault on our democratic values, heavily driven by big money. In America, politicians can be bought. The top one percent—who control approximately 30% of the nation’s net wealth—are now in power. This is extremely concerning, not just for academics or advocates of diversity, but for anyone who cares about our democratic values as a whole.”
“Democracy dies when ordinary people look away”
Ordinary Americans are struggling to make ends meet. They’re not losing sleep over cuts to foreign aid.
"USAID’s budget was $43.4 billion—less than one percent of the federal budget approved by Congress. Compare that to the thirteen percent allocated to defence. USAID’s funds were invested in projects that fostered global stability. Now, the country is choosing isolationism and selfishness, trampling on fundamental values of humanity and neglecting our responsibility as the world’s largest economy to alleviate suffering and contribute to global sustainable development.”
Economist Thomas Friedman wrote in The New York Times: ‘Four more years of this won’t work, people.’ But the question is: will it stop after Trump?
"I’m afraid not. Imagine Trump dies—his vice president, J.D. Vance, would take over. He’s just as conservative, populist, and delusional. Bernie Sanders, a long-standing independent Senator from the state of Vermont, is currently touring the country, warning Americans not to let the one percent oligarchs run the show. The Democratic Party alone won’t be enough to reconfigure the political system to ensure it is based on human rights, the rule of law, and other democratic principles. President Biden could have pressured Israel to end the war in Gaza or at least to see a ceasefire ensue, but the Democrats are just as influenced by lobby groups as the Republicans. They’re still too focused on campaign donations and the next election cycle. It will take a broad citizens’ movement to steer the country in a different direction—one that extends beyond the Democratic Party.”
Could this happen in Europe? In Belgium?
"We must stay vigilant here too. Democracy dies when ordinary people look away. We all have a role to play in defending it. And we must guard against double standards concerning the rules-based order. The difference in how Europe reacts to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza is striking. I understand the historical sensitivities and the concerns surrounding the ongoing aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, as well as the potential consequences if the conflict extends westward. However, if we truly stand for democracy and human rights, those rights must extend to everyone—both Ukrainians and Palestinians. You can’t just pick and choose.”
How are American researchers responding to the VUB’s invitation?
"There’s definitely interest, especially from those who face discrimination personally and who are facing censorship professionally. Everyone I’ve spoken to has been moved by the offer."
Curious about the forces shaping world politics?
Discover VUB's study programmes:
Microcredentials and postgraduates: Democracy: challenges and futures EU Policy Making
Bachelors: Politieke wetenschappen Social Sciences
Masters: European Integration European and International Governance
ALL PROGRAMMES IN ENGLISH ALL PROGRAMMES IN DUCTH
