MESA Advocacy Resource Center
MESA's Task Force has created a new advocacy resource center for our members to consult in response to the repression of rights on campuses across North America and beyond.
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Campus Climate Resources
MESA has created a new Campus Climate resource page for our members in response to academic freedom-related developments on campuses across North America and beyond.
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Federal Court Says First Amendment Bars Government From Deporting Students and Faculty on Basis of Political Viewpoint, Says Challenge to Trump Policy Can Go Forward
A federal judge has ruled that the case of AAUP v. Rubio can move forward. The lawsuit alleges that the administration’s ideological-deportation policy violates the First Amendment by targeting constitutionally protected speech that Americans have a right to hear and engage with.
Letter to the University of Notre Dame expressing concern over the cancellation of a keynote lecture by Professor Eman Abdelhadi
Our letter condemning the last-minute cancellation of a keynote lecture that was to be given by Professor Eman Abdelhadi, purportedly on grounds of security.
Letter to the University of Colorado-Boulder expressing concern about the university’s failure to respond adequately to a physical assault against students
Our letter expressing concern about the University of Colorado-Boulder’s apparent failure to meaningfully respond to a physical assault committed on campus against students advocating for Palestinian rights
Letter to Yale University regarding the termination of Dr. Helyeh Doutaghi
Our letter expressing concern about the termination of Dr. Helyeh Doutaghi, deputy director of Yale University’s Law and Political Economy Project and associate research scholar at Yale Law School, in the wake of allegations made on an obscure website whose founders and contributors are anonymous
Knight Institute Asks Court to Block Trump Policy of Deporting Students and Faculty for Lawful Speech: AAUP and Middle East Studies Association say policy clearly violates the First Amendment
The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) today filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in their lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration from carrying out large-scale arrests, detentions, and deportations of noncitizen students and faculty members who participate in pro-Palestinian protests and other protected First Amendment activities.
Letter to Harvard University protesting the dismissals of the director and associate director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Our letter expressing concern about Harvard University’s decision to remove Professor Cemal Kafadar and Associate Professor Rosie Bsheer as, respectively, director and associate director of the university’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies
MESA, AAUP, and Knight Institute file lawsuit over Trump policy of arresting and threatening deportation for lawful speech
The Middle East Studies Association (MESA) and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) today filed a lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration from carrying out large-scale arrests, detentions, and deportations of noncitizen students and faculty members who participate in pro-Palestinian protests and other protected First Amendment activities.
Letter to the leadership of Columbia University urging it to reject the Trump administration’s ultimatum of 13 March 2025 and stand firm in defense of academic freedom & the university’s independence
Our letter expressing outrage about the letter dated 13 March 2025 that was sent to you by three Trump administration officials, and to urge you to respond in a principled and forceful manner to the unprecedented, unacceptable and extreme demands that it sets forth
Letter to the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture regarding its cancellation of a planned special journal issue on Palestine
Our letter expressing concern about the decision of the Board of Directors of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture to cancel a planned issue of the Journal of Architectural Education (JAE) focused on Palestine. We are equally disturbed by the board’s termination of JAE Interim Executive Editor McLain Clutter for protesting this decision.
Letter to NY Governor Hochul and leaders of the City University of New York regarding the Palestinian Studies position at Hunter College
Our letter expressing grave concern about Governor Hochul’s unprecedented demand that Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY) take down a posted advertisement for a new open-rank position in the field of Palestinian Studies
Letter to MIT expressing concern about the decision not to allow Professor Michel DeGraff to teach a course relating to Palestine in Fall 2024
Our letter expressing concern about the decision of MIT’s Department of Linguistics and Philosophy to deny Professor Michel DeGraff permission to offer a proposed course on language, linguistics and decolonization in Israel/Palestine
Letter to Emory University regarding the suspension of Umaymah Mohammad for exercising her right to free speech
Our letter expressing concern about the suspension of Umaymah Mohammad, a student from the Emory University School of Medicine, for a statement that she made during a media interview that was deemed in violation of the student code of conduct.
Letter to the Columbia University Senate calling on it to investigate the Office of Institutional Equity’s treatment of Professor Katherine Franke
Our letter expressing concern about the flawed disciplinary proceedings involving Dr. Katherine Franke and the circumstances surrounding her “retirement.”
Call for Applications: MESA/ACSS/OIB Summer 2025 Workshop
MESA
The Middle East Studies Association, the Arab Council for the Social Sciences, the Orient Institute in Beirut are organizing a five-day workshop at the American University of Cairo, June 29-July 3. The workshop, which is co-sponsored by AUC, will bring together a select group of doctoral students from North American, German, and Arab universities to discuss the possibilities, critical approaches, epistemological, and practical challenges of undertaking archival and/or ethnographic research in the Arab region.
Letter to New York University regarding its arbitrary repressive actions toward faculty and students
Our letter expressing concern about recent actions that have exacerbated the climate of repression on campus
Response from Cornell to our 26 November letter
The Committee on Academic Freedom received a response from the Interim President of Cornell University in response to our 26 November letter regarding a course proposal developed by Dr. Eric Cheyfitz
Letter to the Interim President of Cornell University regarding his criticism of an approved course proposal
Our letter expressing concern about the negative comments recently made regarding a course proposal developed by Dr. Eric Cheyfitz
Letter to MIT expressing concern about its disciplinary action against Prahlad Iyengar
Our letter expressing concern about the recent disciplinary action by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) against one of its doctoral students, Prahlad Iyengar.
Letter to Swarthmore College expressing concern about its flawed disciplinary process
Our letter expressing concern about the flawed disciplinary proceedings involving a number of its students that Swarthmore College is currently conducting
Letter to the University of Minnesota protesting the barring of students from campus without due process
Our letter expressing concern about the decision of the University of Minnesota administration to indefinitely suspend eight students who participated in an occupation of a university building
Letter to Harvard University regarding the suspension of library access for students and faculty for exercising their right to free speech
Our letter expressing concern about Harvard University’s decision to ban a number of undergraduate students, law students and faculty from entering Harvard University’s libraries
Letter to the leaders of the Claremont colleges regarding their repression of academic freedom and freedom of speech and assembly
Our letter expressing concern about the general atmosphere of repression on Claremont campuses as well as specific instances of repression at Harvey Mudd College, Pomona College, and Scripps College.
MESA Announces new Academic Freedom Initiative
MESA’s Academic Freedom Initiative will support data collection and analysis as well as dissemination of findings regarding academic freedom in the context of scholarship and teaching in Middle East studies.