Some see hints of McCarthyism in the cultural boycott of Russia

“It is simply not possible to draw fair or accurate lines of demarcation,” wrote Bloomberg columnist Tyler Cowen. “What about performers who may have favored Putin in the more benign times of 2003 and now are skeptical, but have family members still living in Russia? Do they have to speak out?”

Cowen compares the shunning of Russian artists, musicians, athletes, and more to McCarthyism from the 1950s. Hinting at a return of a Red Scare, Cowen argues that all of this will lead to a culture of fear, false accusations, and the stifling of free speech.

Others have joined Cowen recently in criticizing the cultural boycotts of Russia.

The artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, who’ve long been based in New York, told ArtNet News that they “don’t believe” in cultural sanctions. “Cultural connections are things that may bring people together when politicians fail and dialogue is important as long as we are able to create it, especially through cultural exchange,” they said.