The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) is firmly committed to academic freedom. In this statement, the BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom explains its position that, contrary to common assumptions, academic boycotts can be consistent with—and even necessary for—upholding academic freedom and fundamental human rights, particularly in contexts of systemic injustice.
We write on behalf of the Academic Freedom Committee of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES), of the Société des études du Moyen-Orient et du monde musulman (SEMOMM) and of the Società per gli Studi sul Medio Oriente (SeSaMO) to express our grave concern about the treatment of Prof. Joseph Daher.
The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) strongly condemns the Free University of Berlin’s cancellation of lectures by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese and Prof. Eyal Weizman, highlighting it as an act of political censorship and a violation of academic freedom. BRISMES criticizes the misuse of the IHRA definition of antisemitism to silence criticism of Israel and calls for a public apology, a reaffirmation of academic freedom, and the rejection of the IHRA definition. The letter underscores the need to protect open discourse and resist political interference in universities.
We write on behalf of the Committee on Academic Freedom of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) to express our profound concern over a draft joint parliamentary resolution of the parliamentary groups of the SPD, Bündnis90/Die Grünen, FDP and CDU/CSU that claims to aim to protect, preserve and strengthen Jewish life in Germany, a draft version of which recently became public. The draft resolution that you are proposing, however, fundamentally undermines artistic and academic freedoms protected both by international law and by Germany’s Basic Law, and therefore must be abandoned. There are several deeply concerning aspects of this proposed resolution.
