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.

censorship

Rebuking U of Guelph for Cancellation of People’s Conference for Palestinian Solidarity

Grave concern about the University of Guelph’s decision to cancel the second annual People’s Conference for Palestinian Solidarity

Canada

Protesting Canada’s Detention of Former UN Special Rapporteur Richard Falk over Palestine Rights Advocacy

Committee on Academic Freedom

Outrage at the unjustified harassment that Richard Falk, former UN Special Rapporteur was subjected to by agents of the Canada Border Services

Academic Freedom

Protesting U of Tennessee’s Firing of Professor Tamar Shirinian for Protected Speech

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – Letter to the Chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, denouncing the suspension pending termination of Professor Tamar Shirinian Donde Plowman Chancellor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville chancellor@utk.edu Dear Chancellor Plowman: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North […]

Academic Freedom

Protesting Northwestern U’s Flawed Compulsory Training on Criticism of Israel as “Antisemitism”

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – Letter to Northwestern University expressing concern about its flawed compulsory anti-bias training and its threats against students who refuse to complete it Henry S. Bienen Interim President, Northwestern University nupresident@northwestern.edu Dear President Bienen and Colleagues: We write on behalf of the Middle […]

censorship

Protesting the Suspension of a Scholar at the University of Kentucky for Statements on Palestine

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North America | – Letter to the University of Kentucky regarding the suspension of Professor Ramsi Woodcock for his statements about Palestine Eli Capilouto President, University of Kentucky elic@uky.edu James C. Duff Dean, J. David Rosenberg College of Law University of Kentucky jim.duff@uky.edu […]

Academic Freedom

Protesting UC Berkeley handing Names of Faculty and Students to Dept. of Education

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North America | – Letter to UC Berkeley regarding the university’s submission to the Department of Education of 160 names of persons associated with allegations of antisemitism President James B. Milliken Office of the President University of California president@ucop.edu Chancellor Rich Lyons Office of […]

Israel/ Palestine

The West Needs to Expedite Visas, Study Permits, Safe Passage for Palestinians in Gaza

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North America | – Letter to Canadian officials about visas and study permits for Palestinian scholars The Right Honourable Mark Carney Prime Minister of Canada pm@pm.gc.ca . . . Dear Prime Minister Carney, Minister Metlege Diab and Minister Anadasangaree: We write on behalf […]

censorship

Protesting Claremont Colleges Library Censorship of “Policing Palestine”

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North America | – Letter to the Claremont Colleges library condemning the censorship of the title and abstract of Professor Bilal Nasir’s scheduled lecture in the Claremont Discourse series Katie Kohn STEM Librarian Chair, Claremont Discourse series committee The Claremont Colleges Library Katie.Kohn@claremont.edu Janet […]

censorship

On Occidental College’s Disciplining of Students Protesting Gaza

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North Africa | – Letter to the administration of Occidental College about disciplinary proceedings against students accused of participating in protest activity Tom Stritikus President, Occidental College president@oxy.edu . . . Dear President Stritikus, Deans Leonard and Santiago, Ms. Kahn and Trustees: We write on […]