Category Archives: Activism

Academic Freedom Media Review – August 13 -19 2011

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The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

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Professor’s Memo Blasting Dept. Chair Was Protected Speech, California Court Holds /
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 8/18
Italian Embassy Revokes Belarusian University Rector’s Visa
Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, 8/18
The Kampala declaration on intellectual freedom
Ndala Machika, The Nation, 8/17
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Academic Freedom Media Review – August 6-12, 2011

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The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

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TOGO: Government yields to student pressure
Tunde Fatunde, University World News, 8/12
Conditions of Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei’s Detention Emerge
Keith Bradsher, The New York Times, 8/12
Ccasu Says not yet contacted by Commission
Frank Namangale, The Nation, 8/12
AAUP Says U. of Virginia Is Giving Group Too Much Access to Climate Researchers’ Documents
Peter Schmidt, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 8/11
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Scholars at Risk Anniversary Celebration and Academic Freedom Media Review

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Along with the Academic Freedom Media Review this week, Scholars at Risk announced registration is open for their 10th anniversary celebration and meeting in New York.

Registration open!  October 3-4: Scholars at Risk will mark our 10th anniversary with a celebration and network meeting in New York.  Click here for program, registration and travel information.

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Academic Freedom Media Review
July 30 – August 5, 2011

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The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available on the SAR site. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
Libyan students call for help, 8/4
Geoff Maslen, University World News
Iranian Academic Charged As ‘Enemy Of God’ Brands Court Illegal
Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, 8/4.
Waging intellectual war on repression and class divides
John Morgan, Times Higher Education, 8/4
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SAR Academic Freedom Media Review–July 23-29, 2011

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Compiled by Scholars at Risk
The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
Iranian scientist’s death ‘probably the work of western security agencies‘
The Guardian, 7/28
Unruly humanities scholars threaten the discipline, event hears
Matthew Reisz, Times Higher Education, 7/28
Scholars at Risk calls for letters: Vietnamese professor to face trial
Scholars at Risk, 7/27
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The Rhetoric of Hate v. Forgiveness

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A short, but respectable analysis of an aspect of conservative media’s responses the tragic bombing and shootings in Norway came across my screen today.  In “Norway’s Sorrow: Why Is It So Hard For The Religious Right To Denounce Evil?,” Kurt Ostrow argues that a certain segment of the media is unable to simply denounce the attacks and leave it there. They condemn the actions of Anders Behring Breivik, who claimed responsibility for the attack, but then go on to ask if there aren’t real causes for concern that set him off. Ostrow points out that is is part of a very real trend, and provides some excellent examples to support his case, both from Europe and the United States.
He then goes on to make an excellent point.

Right-wing politicians and pundits everywhere have decided it politically prudent to conflate Islamic (of or relating to Islam) with Islamist (of or relating to Islamic militancy or fundamentalism). Or worse: they actually believe this misdirected, misinformed hate.

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SAR Academic Freedom Media Review, June 25 – July 1, 2011

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The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
MALAWI: Closed campuses set to open
University World News, 7/1
Oxford academic wins right to read UEA climate data
Fred Pearce, The Guardian, 7/1
Sowing seeds of freedom in the ‘Arab Spring’
Paul Jump, Times Higher Education, 6/30
There’s no good reason for this inequality
Liz Schafer, Times Higher Education, 6/30
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SAR Academic Freedom Media Review: 18-24 June 2011

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The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here .  The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
American U. in Cairo Professor Is Killed in Baghdad
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 6/24
Scholars at Risk welcomes the release of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, Iranian scholar Emadeddin Baghi
Scholars at Risk, 6/23
Outspoken Chinese artist is free but has to stay quiet
CNN, 6/23
8 Bahrain Activists Get Life Sentences
Lara El Gibaly and David Jolly, The New York Times, 6/22
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Academic Freedom Media Review-June 11-17, 2011

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The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available at http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu/Events-News/Academic-Freedom-News.php. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
Possible Setback for Program Integrity Rules
Libby A. Nelson, Inside Higher Ed, 6/16
When Presidents Exit the Public Square
Jeffrey Selingo, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 6/16
Student Freedom of Speech and Dissent Under Siege: The Irvine 11
John L. Esposito, The Huffington Post, 6/16
News in Brief
Times Higher Education, 6/16
UAE: End Trial of Democracy Petitioners
Human Rights Watch, 6/15
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Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Media Review, June 4 – 10, 2011

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Scholars at Risk would like to draw attention to the killing of Dr. Maksud I. Sadikov, Rector of the Institute of Theology and International Relations in Russia. According to media reports Mr. Sadikov was shot to death in a car in Makhachkala, the capital of the Dagestan region, on Tuesday, June 7, 2011. The motives for this apparent assassination are not clear at this time but seem to relate to Dr. Sadikov’s efforts to promote moderate religious education in the region to counter terrorism and extremism in the Caucasus. Please see the following two articles for additional information relating to the killing of Dr. Sadikov:
Rector at Muslim University in Russia Is Shot to Death
Andrew E. Kramer, The New York Times, 6/7
Senior Dagestani Muslim Killed in a Hail of Bullets
Natalya Krainova, The Moscow Times, 6/8
Please find below a compilation of articles in the news media addressing academic freedom issues over the past week.

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The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here.  The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
BC asks for Irish project secrecy
Kevin Cullen, Boston Globe, 6/9
Annual Report 2011 of the Network of Concerned Historians
Antoon De Baets, Network of Concerned Historians, 6/8
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SAR Academic Freedom Media Review, May 28-June, 2011

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The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
Iraq: Protest Organizers Beaten, Detained
Human Rights Watch, 6/2
Sri Lanka’s army: In bigger barracks
The Economist, 6/2
Charge Against Professor Raises Questions About Academic Freedom in Thailand
Newley Purnell, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 6/1
Bahrain’s ‘progressive’ influence
Ali M. Latifi, Al Jazeera, 6/1
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