Conversations with friends: BDS movement edition

By: Ginestra Faeta, News editor at The Graduate Press

In modern society, individuals are often viewed primarily as consumers. Grocery companies aim to encourage people to purchase their products, travel agencies promote the best trips available, and clothing brands persuade their audience that their stylish outfits are the ideal choice. However, little to nothing is known about the people, intentions and processes behind these products – that are often the outcome of capitalism, with complex production processes involving multiple companies in various  countries. This complexity has become so normalized that few people  think of advocating for rights by boycotting a certain company’s product. Moreover, no one can be certain that the latter is actually affected by the boycott, and it does result in the company simply laying off workers, harming social equality and democracy even further. 

At the international level, several communities attach a greater importance to this kind of practice. This practice reached its peak in 2005, when more than 170 Palestinian unions aggregated to set off the BDS (Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions) movement. This movement was actually inspired by the practice of disinvestment and boycotts undertaken in South Africa in the Apartheid era.

“I’ve heard of boycotting practices. As a South African, boycotting was a key tool in the anti-Apartheid struggle and was deemed very successful in creating economic restrictions for the discriminatory state”, and “the example [of boycotting] is the apartheid case in South Africa”, say Alexi Steinegger and Devayani Aravindan, respectively in their first and second year of the MINT master, in the Conflict, Peace and Security track and Environment and Sustainability track. 

The movement is meant to muster the same kind of support that was put forth during the Apartheid struggle, drawing on South African experiences.

This can be done through launching campaigns around the world that target corporations, universities, and individuals with financial interests in the country. Advocating for sanctions and punitive measures, and non-violent resistance to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, are the main aims of the movement. 

Going back to the smaller reality of Geneva Graduate Institute, among its students, the awareness of the practice is still controversial, but it is generally perceived as an effective tool. “Through conversations with friends, I have learnt that boycotting can and has been effective”, said Leila Itzard, a first year student in MINT master, Migration track. Alexi stated: “I think boycotting in the case of Israel, which has a lot of international support, is a key way for the international community to make it be known that the regime is not tolerated”. “It’s effective because we’re funding the institutions which support the conflict and things that sustain these massacres”, Devayani added.

The general belief is that, regardless of its effectiveness in terms of the share of income withdrawn from a multinational corporation, it is powerful in terms of boosting the perception and the orientation of the public opinion. 

Last year, in November, a Palestinian graduate student named Ahmed Bashbash launched an app called ‘No Thanks’ (if you wish to stop consciously, as much as you’re able to, here’s an app link for you). It was on November the 13th, almost at the beginning of the open hostilities between Israel and Hamas. 

But what, really, is No Thanks?

Safia Sangster, a first year student in the MINT track Human Rights, informs us: “At the Graduate Institute, the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) initiative has shared an app called No Thanks – you use the app when you are at the supermarket by scanning the barcode of a product and it tells you whether it is on the boycott list”. 

This resource allows its owners to scan articles and products to see if the companies have connections with Israel. After its release, it gained a lot of traction on TikTok and today, it has almost 100.000 users per month.

At first, the app was banned from the Google Playstore because its presentation included the sentence (“[an app] to see if the product in your hands is supporting the murder of Palestinian babies”). It was later re-admitted after the creator modified the description in a more neutral manner (now the app just “simplifies the process of scanning barcodes. It makes your shopping go easily, just scan the product and the app will tell you”). This app serves to highlight a deeply ingrained practice, that corporations prioritize everything through the language of money.  As Alexi says,

“Ultimately big corporate companies prioritize capital and thus, with enough pressure, we hope they take a stance against the regime which is kept in existence through funding”. 

Most of the companies  are food chains or important fast fashion brands (companies that produce inexpensive clothing prioritizing affordability and speed instead of sustainability and just work policies), such as “McDonalds, Puma, Adidas to an extent, Coca Cola, Zara, L’Oréal, Dominos and Carrefour” (these are some of the companies cited from all interviewees). Moreover, some of these brands are accountable for supporting Israel’s grave violations of Palestinian rights.

McDonalds and BurgerKing have been accused of supporting the country, as their shops are providing free food and drinks to Israeli militants. Carrefour has more than a hundred stores active in the country with its profits increasing by 38%, and plans to open even more by the end of 2024. Booking.com offers rentals in illegal Israeli settings on Palestinian territory. 

As it can be clearly seen in a student’s day-to-day life, it is possible to come across some of these brands, and they are certainly well known among the youth. One major example can be the commitment of going to Carrefour in France to save money on necessary household items. This raises a spontaneous question: what can be done to cultivate a more affordable lifestyle (especially for Genevois students) along with upholding the commitment to these boycotting practices? 

“I understand that in our very niche context in Geneva, Carrefour is a cheaper alternative to shop in France; however, Lidl in France is in the same price bracket and a good alternative”, says Alexi. 

Safia adds: “As a student I think small things can make a difference, I try to do the majority of my grocery shopping at a larger supermarket where there are more brand choices. Sometimes buying from markets for fresh produce can be cheaper than the supermarket so it is a win-win situation as you are also supporting a local business!”

The majority of students interviewed have also agreed that it makes no sense to demonize the consumer, because boycotting is more about “being conscious about what you’re buying” and because, as students, “we all have different budgets and should not feel guilty for only taking actions that are within our financial means”, as Leila and Alexi say. The best answer is, in most of the cases, being aware of an individual’s own possibilities and contributing with their proper means to sending a message about a topic that matters. Seek alternative solutions that are cost-effective, this is the way students should let themselves carry on with their lives, and not hold themselves to harsh ideals.

In conclusion, notwithstanding the different and tolerant opinions of the students and the diverse approaches to the matter, the call is for a united action in increasing the awareness of our peers in the reasons underlying the implementation of this practice. The focus for students should not be on radicalizing the practice, instead it should be on listening to themselves while contributing to the cause, even if it involves just speaking about it.