Middle East Studies Association Home Page

The Middle East Studies Association (MESA) is a non-political association that fosters the study of the Middle East, promotes high standards of scholarship and teaching, and encourages public understanding of the region and its peoples through programs, publications and services that enhance education, further intellectual exchange, recognize professional distinction, and defend academic freedom. More

What's New(s):

	MESA 2009 program now available
	Alert: New procedures for US-bound travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries
	Alert: Potential for seizure of electronic materials at the border
	Academic Freedom at Risk: Help MESA Defend the American Campus

Discussion Board for MESA Members
Sign-up for the MESA Discussion Board, where you can converse with colleagues on topics like research, teaching, current events, student issues, academic freedom, legislative issues, funding, the MESA annual meeting. Note: you must be a MESA member to participate.

MESA's Listservs and CAF Letters
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Quick Find:

The latest news from
MESA's Committee on
Academic Freedom

June 30, 2009	Letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressing grave concern regarding the large-scale wave of intimidation, arrests, and campus expulsions carried out by Iranian security forces against peaceful student activists and protesters on various university campuses throughout Iran since December 2008.
June 26, 2009	CAF-endorsed open letter to Madame Catherine Bréchignac, Présidente du CNRS regarding a disciplinary hearing of Vincent Geisser voicing concern that this is related to his work on Islam in France.
June 19, 2009	Request by the Minister of State (Technology and Science) for a second review process of the grant-in-aid secured from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The grant helped fund the York University conference, Israel/Palestine: Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths to Peace. Three letters sent: Minister Goodyear; SSHRC President Gaffield; York University President Shoukri.
May 27, 2009	Refusal of Israeli authorities to allow Dr. Nicola Pratt to enter the West Bank on April 22, 2009 to present two seminars at the institute for Women's Studies at Bir Zeit University.
May 21, 2009	Commendation of Tel Aviv University President Zvi Galil for his May 3, 2009 letter regarding student Omar Barghouti's petition to boycott Israeli universities.
May 08, 2009	Alleged misconduct and investigation of Prof. William Robinson of University of California, Santa Barbara. UPDATE: Case dismissed on June 24.