Six directors of Middle East Studies at US universities have signed a public letter pledging “not to collaborate on projects and events involving Israeli academic institutions”.
Their stance could potentially affect future public funding, because as heads of US Department of Education Title VI National Resource Centers, they are required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act to give assurances that they will “maintain linkages with overseas institutions of higher education and other organisations that may contribute to the teaching and research of the Center”.
If their protests are not personal, and apply to the centres where they are directors, it would be in conflict with the assurances they gave in exchange for federal funds.
The six directors are: Lila Abu-Lughod, Middle East Institute, Columbia; Marian Cooke, Middle East Studies Center, Duke; Osama Abi-Mershed, Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown; John Esposito, Prince Alwaleed bin-Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown; Helga Tawil-Souri, Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, New York University and Gabriel Piterberg, Center for Near Eastern Studies, University of California, Los Angeles.
The six are part of a group of over 500 Middle East Studies scholars and librarians who have called for the boycott of Israeli academic institutions.
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