Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom of the Middle East Studies Association seeks to foster the free exchange of knowledge as a human right and to inhibit infringements on that right by government restrictions on scholars. The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provide the principal standards by which human rights violations are identified today. Those rights include the right to education and work, freedom of movement and residence, and freedom of association and assembly.

Academic Freedom

Columbia University must Reject Trump Ultimatum and Stand up at long last for the Freedom and Independence of the Academy

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – Dr. Katrina Armstrong Interim President, Columbia University officeofthepresident@columbia.edu David Greenwald Claire Shipman Co-Chairs, Columbia University Board of Trustees secretary@columbia.edu Dear Dr. Armstrong, Mr. Greenwald and Ms. Shipman: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) […]

censorship

Protesting to NY Gov. Hochul for Quashing the Palestinian Studies Post at Hunter College

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – The Honorable Kathy Hochul Governor of the State of New York Governor.Hochul@exec.ny.gov . . . Dear Governor Hochul, Chairperson Thompson and Chancellor Rodriguez: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on […]

censorship

Protest to MIT about Denying a Palestine Course to Professor Michael DeGraff

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – Sally Kornbluth President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sally.kornbluth@mit.edu . . . Dear President Kornbluth and colleagues: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express our concern about the […]

Academic Freedom

Emory University’s Shocking Suspension of Umaymah Mohammad for Exercising her Right to Free Speech on Palestine

Committee on Academic Freedom

Gregory L. Fenves President, Emory University president@emory.edu Dear President Fenves: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express our deep concern about the one-year suspension of Umaymah Mohammad, a dual MD/PhD student, from the Emory University School of Medicine (ESM) […]

censorship

Protesting to Columbia U. over Forced Retirement of Professor Katherine Franke for Palestine Advocacy

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – Senator Greg Fryer Co-Chair, Faculty Affairs, Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee Columbia University Senate gaf1@cumc.columbia.edu Senator Letty Moss-Salentijn Co-Chair, Faculty Affairs, Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee Columbia University Senate lm23@cumc.columbia.edu Dear Senators Fryer and Moss-Salentijn: We write on behalf of the […]

Israel

Protesting the Impact of the Israeli Military Campaign on Education in Lebanon

Committee on Academic Freedom

Middle East Studies Association Board Joint Statement with the Committee on Academic Freedom Concerning the Impact of the Israeli Military Campaign on Education in Lebanon The Board of Directors of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom register our profound concern regarding the interruption of education and the damage to […]

Dissent

Protesting New York University’s Arbitrary Repressive Actions toward Faculty and Students Protest Gaza War

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – Linda G. Mills President, New York University linda.mills@nyu.edu Georgina Dopico Provost, New York University georgina.dopico@nyu.edu Dear President Mills and Provost Dopico: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express […]

Israel/ Palestine

Protesting Criticism of Approved Gaza Course Proposal by Cornell University President

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – Michael I. Kotlikoff Interim President, Cornell University mik7@cornell.edu Dear Interim President Kotlikoff: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express our concern about the negative comments that you recently […]

Universities

Protesting MIT’s Disciplining of Grad for pro-Palestine Activism and Advocacy

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – Sally Kornbluth President Sally.kornbluth@mit.edu . . . Dear President Kornbluth and Colleagues: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express our grave concern about the recent disciplinary action […]