Committee on Academic Freedom Session at MESA 2006
4th Floor-Salon I
Boston Marriott Copley Place
Boston, MA

As part of it ongoing commitment to involve the general membership in its
activities, MESA's Committee on Academic Freedom (CAF) will hold a special
session discussing the committee's activities during the year 2005-2006 on
behalf of issues of academic freedom and repression not just in the Middle
East, but also in the United States. CAF members will be discussing the
context of several letters and areas of concern.

Chair: Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch, CAF Chair

Israel and Palestine
Gershon Shafir, University of California San Diego
[Letters: Occupational therapy students denied access to study in the West
Bank. (9/2006); Arrest of Professor Ghazi Walid Falah, (7/2006); Israel's
security barrier's effects on East Jerusalem schools (9/2006)]

Iran
Afshin Marashi, California State University, Sacramento
[Letters: Purge of liberal and secular faculty members from the universities
in Iran (9/2006); Death of Akbar Mohammadi and the condition of Manuchehr
Mohammadi in Evin Prison (9/2006); Arrest and detention of Dr. Ramin
Jahanbegloo (5/2006); Continued imprisonment of Dr. Hossein Ghazian
(9/2005)]

Turkey Yektan Turkyilmaz, Duke University [Letters: Prosecution of Elif Shafak (9/2006); Prosecution of Fatih Tas
(11/2005); Prosecution of Orhan Pamuk (9/2005)]

Iraq
Keith David Watenpaugh, University of California Davis
[MESA and AAUP joint statement on "Iraq: Higher Education and Academic
Freedom in Danger" (7/2006)]

USA Beshara Doumani, University of California Berkeley

[Professor Tony Judt's talk cancelled at Polish Consulate (10/2006); US Department of State's second visa denial for Professor Tareq Ramadan letter
to Condoleeza Rice) (10/2006); Regarding withdrawal of offer of joint appointment to Dr. Juan R.I. Cole (6/2006)]