Il popolo in cattedra. Sinistra accademica, popoli oppressi e stati oppressori

This essay analyzes the asymmetric moral posture of Western academia toward two state-population conflicts: Israel/Palestine and China/Uyghurs. It argues that the academic left systematically frames Palestinians as a «virtuous people» oppressed by a state (Israel), while treating Chinese repression of Uyghurs with cautious neutrality. Drawing on linguistic, moral, and political-economic evidence, the author shows how Israel is uniquely demonized due to its symbolic proximity to the West, whereas China is seen as too foreign for effective moral engagement. The essay calls for an anthropological return to epistemic rigor and symbolic analysis, beyond the performative activism dominating current academic discourse.