Here, once again, is the weekly Academic Freedom Media Review from one of those organizations I wish would just go away.  Go away because there would simply be no more need for it.  Unfortunately, all over the world scholars come under attack for their scholarship or teaching.  It’s said that knowledge is power and history is full of examples of the power of ideas to rock the foundations of societies of political structures.

And so scholars, researchers, students, and even administrators find sometimes find themselves subject to restrictions on their academic freedom  that include obstruction of their research, prohibition of its publication, bans against being able to teach, requirements for ideological review of publications and course materials, unofficial intimidation from any number of sources, blacklisting, media smear campaigns and the like.  All to often scholars might even be subject to arrest, extended imprisonment, torture or even assassination.

The Scholars at Risk Network (SAR) is an international network of universities and colleges that responds to this by raising awareness of the issue, getting scholars in particular danger out of danger, and through other programs described on their site.

Academic Freedom Media Review
October 9 – 23, 2009
Compiled by Scholars at Risk

Hundreds of Palestinian Students Are Blocked From Travel to Foreign Universities
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/22

Colleges and Universities Across Pakistan Are Closed Following Deadly Attacks
Shailaja Neelakantan,The Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/21

Spotlight on academic freedom after Pollan’s Cal Poly lecture
Kathy Johnston, New Times SLO, 10/21

Iranian-American Scholar Is Sentenced in Iran
Robert Mackey, The New York Times, 10/20

Disruption Cuts Off Questions for Anti-Islamic Speaker at Temple U
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/20

Scandal erupts at French university over alleged Chinese bribes
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Veil Ban At Islamic School In Egypt Fuels Debate
Peter Kenyon, NPR, 10/20

Is Tenure Conservative?
Mark Kingwell, Inside Higher Ed, 10/20

Launch of the Institute for Global Citizenship and Equity a bold step forward for Centennial College
CNW Group, 10/19

Israel mulls perks for professors to stymie brain drain
Barak Ravid, Haaretz, 10/18

Iraq suspends university for politics
Sameer N. Yacoub, Associated Press, 10/14

The Rise and Fall of Academic Abstention
Stanley Fish, The New York Times, 10/12

Scholars’ Right to Keep Unpublished Work Private Is at Issue in Lawsuit
Peter Schmidt, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/12

Organized Against Labor
Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, 10/12