Petition to Support Academic Freedom in International Studies


 

The US Campaign is seeking the endorsements of organizations, not individuals. To add your organizational endorsement, click here.

Petition in Support of Academic Freedom in International Studies

We, the undersigned organizations, support academic freedom in international studies and strongly urge the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to oppose the creation of an International Studies Advisory Board in any Higher Education Reauthorization Act.

Language coming out of the House and soon to be considered by the Senate calls for the creation of such an advisory board.  This board, which would have at least two appointees representing national security agencies, would oversee curricula, course materials, and even the hiring of faculty at institutions that accept federal government money for international studies. While all area studies programs--Asian, African, European, Latin American--will be affected, the current target of this legislative effort is Middle East studies.

This advisory board is being supported by think tanks and self-appointed campus watchdog groups like Daniel Pipes’ Campus Watch that want to stifle academic debate in institutions across our nation. The movement to politicize the content of what is taught at our universities is incompatible with the cherished American values of free speech and academic inquiry.

Signed by,

  1. Action Toward Peace, University of Chicago
  2. Al-Awda DC--The DC Area Chapter of the Palestine Right to Return Coalition
  3. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Commitee
  4. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Commitee, Kentucky
  5. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Washington, DC Area Chapter
  6. American Association for Palestinian Equal Rights
  7. American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine
  8. American Movement for Advancing Arab-American Matters
  9. American Muslim Voice
  10. American Palestine Public Affairs Forum
  11. Americans for a Just Peace in the Middle East
  12. Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights
  13. Arab-American Forum
  14. Arab/Jewish Peace Alliance
  15. Atlanta Palestine Solidarity
  16. Bards for Free Palestine
  17. Boston Coalition for Palestinian Rights
  18. Campus Democrats, Whittier Law School
  19. Caucus on Class of the Society for Cinema Studies
  20. Center on Law and Human Rights
  21. Citizens for Fair Legislation
  22. Citizens for Justice in the Middle East
  23. Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace
  24. Colorado Palestine Solidarity Campaign
  25. Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine
  26. Committee for Palestinian Human Rights at Ohio University
  27. Council for the National Interest
  28. Direct Action Palestine
  29. Drama Circle
  30. DuPage, Illinois End the Occupation Coalition
  31. Duval Greens Party
  32. Fellowship of Reconciliation
  33. Fellowship of Reconciliation, Louisville, Kentucky Chapter
  34. Fellowship of Reconciliation, South Florida Chapter
  35. Friends of Sabeel, North America
  36. Global Exchange
  37. Houston Coalition for Justice Not War
  38. Houston Peace Forum
  39. International Solidarity Movement Support Group in Northern California
  40. Jewish Friends of Palestine
  41. Jewish Voice for Peace
  42. Jewish Voices Against the Occupation--Seattle
  43. Jewish Women for Justice in Israel/Palestine--Boston
  44. Jews Against the Occupation, New York City
  45. Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel
  46. June 1st Peace and Justice Coalition
  47. Kalamazoo Non-Violent Opponents to War
  48. League Opposed to Virtual Elections
  49. Louisville Committee for Israeli/Palestinian States
  50. Marin Peace and Justice Coalition
  51. Marylanders for a Free Palestine and a Secure Israel
  52. Michigan Faith and Resistance
  53. Middle East Children's Alliance
  54. Middle East Crisis Committee
  55. Middle East Network of United Methodists
  56. Middle East Peace Now of Minnesota
  57. Middle East Research and Information Project
  58. Middle East Task Force, River Road Unitarian Church, Bethesda, Maryland
  59. Monterey County Citizens for Middle East Peace
  60. Mothers for Justice
  61. Network of Arab-American Professionals of New York
  62. Northwest Middle East Peace Forum
  63. Not in My Name
  64. Olympia Friends Meeting
  65. Palestine Aid Society
  66. Palestine Media Watch
  67. Palestine Solidarity Committee--Seattle
  68. Palestinian American Congress
  69. Partners for Peace
  70. Pax Christi--Hilton Head
  71. Peoria Area Peace Network
  72. Philadelphia Jewish Peace Network
  73. Rally of One
  74. Reno Anti-War Coalition
  75. Resident Peaceniks
  76. Salinas Action League
  77. September 11 Action
  78. Stop the Wall--Philadelphia Working Group
  79. Students Educating Students about the Middle East
  80. Students for Justice in Palestine, American University
  81. Support Sanity
  82. SUSTAIN-DC
  83. SUSTAIN-Philadelphia
  84. Tikkun Community, Santa Barbara Chapter
  85. Tri-City Action for Peace
  86. Union of Palestinian American Women
  87. Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East
  88. Ursulines of Tildonk for Justice and Peace 
  89. US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
  90. Utahns for a Just Peace in the Holy Land
  91. Vancouver for Peace
  92. Visions of Peace with Justice in Israel/Palestine--Boston
  93. Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace
  94. Wayne Peace
  95. West Marin Alliance
  96. Western New York Peace Center
  97. Women in Black-Gulfcoast, St. Petersburg, Florida
  98. Women in Black, Lawrence, Kansas
  99. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, US Section
  100. Zeitouna: Arab & Jewish Women Working for Peace & Justice

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