Dr. Deepak Malghan, who is a recognized ecological economist and an assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), has received a censure order from IIM-B for sending a mail to the Placement Committee, saying they should “disinvite” Unilever during campus placement. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has been in the midst of a controversy related to its decision in 2001 to carelessly dump mercury, a hazardous chemical, when closing down a plant located at Kodaikanal. This issue is disheartening because it exposes once again the narrowing of spaces for critical research in Indian academia and more specifically the usurpation of business education by corporate interests. Together with the Business and Human Rights Network India (HRBN-I), the European Society of Ecological Economics Executive Board request the Board of Governors at IIMB to reverse the decision to censure Dr. Malghan, and thereby reiterate the protections of academic freedom at IIMB.
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