Over 115 scholars condemn Harvard journal's Palestine issue cancellation as 'censorship'
In an open letter published today (14 August), the scholars accused the Harvard Education Publishing Group (HEPG) of silencing academic examination of “the genocide, starvation and dehumanisation” of Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza.
More than 120 education scholars have condemned Harvard University's decision to cancel an entire issue of the Harvard Educational Review, which was first revealed by The Guardian in July, dedicated to Palestine, calling it an act of "censorship" and "anti-Palestinian discrimination."
In an open letter published today (14 August), the scholars accused the Harvard Education Publishing Group (HEPG) of silencing academic examination of "the genocide, starvation and dehumanisation" of Palestinians amid Israel's war in Gaza.
They demanded an apology to authors, a new special issue on Palestine, and safeguards to protect editorial independence, pledging to boycott HEPG and Harvard Education Press until those demands are met.
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The special issue, planned six months into the Gaza conflict, aimed to address the education of Palestinians and related debates in US schools, reports The Guardian.
All articles were edited, contracts signed, and the issue advertised before HEPG abruptly cancelled it, citing inadequate review and "lack of internal alignment." The publisher denied censorship, saying the decision was unrelated to academic freedom.
Authors and editors rejected that claim, calling the move an example of the "Palestine exception" to academic freedom and "scholasticide" – a term describing the systematic destruction of Palestine's educational system.
Oxford professor Arathi Sriprakash, a signatory to the letter, said the cancellation underscores "grave threats to academic freedom," adding that educationalists must defend the pursuit of knowledge "without fear or threat."
