Over 50 academics and teachers in Northern Ireland now signed up to boycott of Israel including 14 at Queen's University Belfast

As well as signing performers and artists up to a "cultural boycott" of Israel, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) – a kind of co-ordinating body for pro-Palestine protests across the island – has been signing academics up to a similar ever-expanding list since 2014.

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Those on the list "pledge not to engage in any professional association with Israeli academic, research and state institutions and with those representing these institutions, until such time as Israel complies with international law and universal principles of human rights".

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More than 50 academics and teachers have put their names to the list, including 14 from Queen's University Belfast and seven from the University of Ulster.

The IPSC has recently recirculated a link calling for academics to sign up in the wake of the renewal of hostilities in the region.

The list, updated as of Monday this week, contains the following names from universities and colleges in Northern Ireland:

Sinead Walsh, Creative and Health Studies, Belfast Metropolitan College;

Fergal McCluskey, teacher, Colaiste Feirste, west Belfast;

Roddy Hegarty, director of the O Fiaich Archive (a library in Armagh);

• The following names from Queen's University Belfast:

Prof John Pinkerton, Social Work;

Dr Des O’Rawe, Creative Arts;

Prof Sam Porter , Nursing & Midwifery;

Stewart Smyth, Accounting;

Prof Cahal McLaughlin, Film Studies;

Dr Michael Pierse, Humanities;

Dr Niamh Cullen, History;

Dr Rory Flood, Engineering and Physical Sciences;

Dr Gillian McNaull, Criminology;

Noirin MacNamara, PhD candidate, politics;

Dr Conor Caldwell, music;

Lauren Quigley, French Studies;

Dr Brian Kelly, History;

Eyad Abu-Khiran, Sociology ‘computer officer’;

• From St Mary’s University College, Belfast:

Dr Peter Collins, History;

Dr Brian Feeney, Head of History;

Dr Gerard McCann, European Studies and Geography;

Ciaran Walsh, Physical Education;

Paddy Tally, Physical Education;

Dr Donna Hazzard, Literacy;

Dermot McCartan, Education;

Dr Michael McEntee, Geography;

Marian Curran, Religious Studies;

Martin Hagan, Education Studies;

Claire Connolly, Music;

Dr Elaine McLaughlin, Physical Education;

Dr Birgit Schippers, Politics;

Micheal Martin, Irish;

Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir, Irish;

Teresa Cash, History;

Dr Tracey McKay, Geography;

Orla Nugent, Music;

Dr Eibhlin Mhic Aoidh, Irish;

Joan Campbell, Human Development Studies;

Sean MacLabhrai, Irish;

Deirdre Cree, Education Studies;

Denise McKee, Education Studies;

Mary Flanagan, Art & Design;

Dr Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh, History;

Ciaran O Pronntaigh, Aisaonad ‘manager’;

Ciaran O Dornain, Aisaonad ‘admin assistant’;

Joan Campbell, placement learning.

• The following from the University of Ulster:

Goretti Horgan, Social Policy;

Dr Linda Moore, Social Sciences;

Dr Máire Braniff, Politics, Peace & Conflict;

Dr Colin Breen, Archaeology;

Dr Aisling O’Beirn, Sculpture;

Maeve O’Brien, PhD student, English & History;

Nada Ahmed, Transitional Justice.

The idea of a "cultural boycott" has divided artists and academics.

The band Radiohead refused to boycott Israel and played a major concert there in 2022, with frontman Thom Yorke telling Rolling Stone magazine: "You’re not bringing people together. You’re not encouraging dialogue or a sense of understanding.

"It’s such an extraordinary waste of energy. Energy that could be used in a more positive way."

Among the most vocal opponents of a general boycott of Israel is American Jewish polymath Noam Chomsky, who has argued such a move is driven by activists wanting to "feel good" about themselves.

In an interview with Al Jazeera in 2016 Prof Chomsky said he does support limited boycott efforts "aimed at the occupied territories", calling these "principled" and "correct" because "the settlement and the occupation are illegal acts".

But asked if he supports "cultural boycotts, arts boycotts, operas" of Israel at large, he said: "I don't, no, any more than I support them against other countries, just as I do not suggest boycotting Harvard University and my own university even though the US is involved in horrific acts."

When it was put to him that a majority of Palestinians support a general boycott, he indicated that if most Palestinians were asked the question "Do you want Jews to get out and go home?" then "they would say yes too – but that doesn't mean, yeah, we follow that policy”.