The attack on knowledge

September 2nd, 2012

Academic freedom is in danger. Thomas Docherty explains how cuts are damaging universities across the UK (more…)

Soldiers in the fight for the open society need reinforcements

August 30th, 2012

Academics worldwide face economic and political attacks that restrict their freedom to challenge convention, says Jo Glanville

This piece was originally published on Times Higher Education

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Bahrain: Teacher re-arrested for speaking against human rights violations

October 20th, 2011

The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights reports that Jaleela Al Salman, vice president of the Bahrain Teachers Association was arrested on 18 October from her home without a warrant. On 25 September, a military court sentenced Al Salman to three years in prison, on charges of “inciting hatred towards the regime”, “calling for a teachers strike”, as well as “attempting to overthrow the ruling system by force.” Al Salman was initially detained from 29 March until 21 August after going on hunger strike, and has been vocal about the current state of human rights in Bahrain during the past few weeks. Her trial for appeal will take place on 1 December.  

Bahrain: Where a Facebook “like” gets you expelled

October 14th, 2011

Students at Bahrain Polytechnic are being silenced and expelled for social media posts. Sara Yasin reports

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Libel in the schoolyard

May 31st, 2011

Richard Wilson asks: Why would a London primary school employ the services of a political lobbying firm — and libel lawyers Carter Ruck?
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Testing academic freedom

May 9th, 2011

Three years later, the Nottingham University “terrorism” row rumbles on —- first reading was made a crime, now internal criticism. Jane Fae reports
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Israel: History textbook banned

September 27th, 2010

The Education Ministry has banned a history textbook that includes both the Israeli and Palestinian narrative of the Middle East conflict. The principal of a high school in Sderot was summoned to the ministry after his school was found to be using the book, entitled Learning the Historical Narrative of the Other. The school’s history syllabus, which aims to encourage understanding between the two peoples, was rejected by the head of the ministry’s pedagogic secretariat, Zvi Zamaret.

Nepal: Mohammed textbook banned

June 22nd, 2010

The Nepalese government has banned a social studies textbook after complaints from Muslim groups.  The book has been criticised for including factual inaccuracies and an “erroneous interpretation” of Islam:  one particular illustration is alleged to portray a feminised image of the prophet Mohammed. This marks the first time religious outcry has caused the banning of a book in Nepal, where Hinduism was removed from its position at the state religion in 2006.