Research on Academic Freedom

• What is academic freedom?
• On-line article database
  
• International standards and resources of academic freedom
• Bibliography on academic freedom and displaced scholars
  
  

Although the term is used in many contexts, as used by SAR "academic freedom" refers to the right of scholars, individually and collectively, to teach and discuss, to carry out research and to disseminate and publish the results thereof, to express freely their opinion about the institution or system in which they work, to be free from institutional censorship, and to participate in professional or representative academic bodies without fear, persecution, harassment, intimidation and violence, without discrimination and without constriction by prescribed doctrine.

This articulation recognizes that each scholar possesses the internationally recognized civil, political, social and cultural rights due all citizens, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion, expression, assembly and association, the right to liberty and security of the person and liberty of movement. Scholars should not suffer any penalties simply because of the exercise of such rights.  Scholars, like all citizens, should not be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention, nor to torture, nor to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

On-line Article Database

As an initial step toward raising awareness, Scholars at Risk maintains a database of news and other reports of attacks on scholars and universities. You may search below for articles on a specific country or university, or may search using keywords for a specific scholar.

NB: The on-line article database is currently disabled as we upgrade our system. Our apologies for any inconvenience.

Following is an incomplete list of documents and resources on academic freedom. (SAR welcomes additional suggestions.)

• Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel, UNESCO, Paris,  November 11, 1997.

• Declaration on Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibility, African Symposium on Academic Freedom and Social Responsibility of Intellectuals, November 1990.

• Declaration on Academic Freedom and Social Responsibility of Academics, Dar es Salaaam, 1990.

• Magna Carta of European Universities, Standing Conference of Rectores of the European Universities, Bologna, 1988.

• Declaration of Rights and Duties Inherent in Academic Freedom, International Association of University Professors and Lecturers, Lima, 1982.
  
  
  

Bibliography on Academic Freedom and Defense of Scholars*

Academic Freedom (journal articles and essays, books, reports)

Journal articles and essays

• "Academic Freedom and the Promise of International Higher Education," by Rob Quinn and Carla Stuart. Center for International Higher Education's (CIHE) quarterly International Higher Education (no. 37, Fall 04). Access the article.
  
  
• "Academic Rebels Far From Home," by Wendi A. Maloney, managing editor of Academe and co-director of AAUP publications, appears in the AAUP's bimonthly magazine Academe (Vol 90, No. 5; Sep/Oct 2004). Access the article.
  
  
• "Defending 'Dangerous' Minds," by Robert Quinn, Social Science Research Council's quarterly journal Items & Issues (Vol. 5, No. 1-2; Spr/Sum 2004). Access the article.
  
  
• Autonomía universitaria. Orígenes y futuro en la realidad mexicana / Díaz Barriga, Angel / Asociación Nacional de Universidades e Instituciones de Educación Superior [ANUIES][Mexico].-- IN: Revista de la Educación Superior, vol. 33(1), no. 129, pp. 41-48, 2004
  
  
• Autonomía y rendición de cuentas / Jiménez Fernández, Guillermo / Asociación Nacional de Universidades e Instituciones de Educación Superior [ANUIES][Mexico].-- IN: Revista de la Educación Superior, vol. 33(1), no. 129, pp. 49-55, 2004
  
  
• Institutional autonomy versus government control: the new University Act in Austria (Autonomie institutionnelle ou tutelle gouvernementale?: La nouvelle loi sur les unversités en Autriche). / Neuhäuser, Rudolf / OECD. IMHE Programme.-- IN: Higher Education Management and Policy; Politiques et gestion de l'enseignement supérieur, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 19-26, 2004
  
  
• La larga (y a veces poco fructífera) marcha de la Autonomía universitaria en México / Pallán Figueroa, Carlos / Asociación Nacional de Universidades e Instituciones de Educación Superior [ANUIES][Mexico].-- IN: Revista de la Educación Superior, vol. 33(1), no. 129, pp. 73-88, 2004
  
  
• Academic freedom and national security in a time of crisis (Report of an AAUP Special Committee). / American Association of University Professors.-- In: Academe, vol. 89, no. 6, pp. 34-59, 2003
  
  
• Academic Freedom and National Security [Theme issue] / American Association of University Professors.-- In: Academe, v89, n3, 2003.
  
  
• Defending academic freedom as a human right: an internationalist perspective/ Rajagopal, Balakrishnan / Boston College Center for International Higher Education [USA].-- In: International Higher Education, no. 33, p. 3-5, 2003.
  
  
• El compromiso social y cívico de la universidad española: una revisión histórica (The social and civic engagement of the Spanish university: an historical review)./ Mayordomo Pérez, Alejandro / Instituto Europeo de Iniciativas Educativas [Spain].-- In: Revista española de pedagogía, vol. 61, no. 226, pp. 415-437, 2003.
  
  
• Higher education: social relevance and collective action (Universités: pertinence sociale et action collective)./ Breton, Gilles; Lambert, Michel / UNESCO; Université Laval [Canada] In: Universities and Globalization: Private linkages, public trust, p. 231-238.-- Paris, Economica, 2003.
  
  
• A New contract between higher education and society/ Favish, Judith.-- In: South African Journal of Higher Education, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 24-30, 2003.
  
  
• Pour une citoyenneté responsable de l'enseignement supérieur: enquêtes et propositions de PRELUDE/ Thill, Georges; Chapelle, Jean Marie; Berger, Guy; De la Saussay, Philippe; Warrant, Françoise / UNESCO.-- 2003. 70 p.
  
  
• MEETING: Meeting of Higher Education Partners. Paris, 2003.
  PROGRAMMES/PROJECTS: PRELUDE: Programme de recherche et de liaison universitaire pour le développement.
  
  
• Understanding academic freedom: the views of social scientists/ Akerlind, Gerlese S.; Kayrooz, Carole.-- In: Higher Education Research and Development, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 327-344, 2003
  
  
• Academic Freedom in a Globalising World [Theme issue] / International Association of Universities [IAU].-- In: Higher Education Policy, v.15, no.4, Whole issue, 2002
  
  
• Academic freedom: impressions of Australian social scientists/ Kayrooz, Carole; Preston, Paul.-- In: Minerva, v.40, no.4, pp. 341-358, 2002.
  
  
• How to safeguard academic freedom? A Canadian perspective/ Egron-Polak, Eva / International Association of Universities [IAU].-- In: Higher Education Policy, v.15, no.4, pp.381-384, 2002.
  
  
• Latin American universities, academic freedom and autonomy: a long-term myth?/ Figueiredo-Cowen, Maria.-- In: Comparative Education, v.38, no.4, pp. 471-484, 2002.

• Altbach, Philip G. "Academic Freedom in Hong Kong." International Higher Education
  Vol. 21 (Fall 2000): 9-10.

• Altbach, Philip G. "Academic Freedom: International Warning Signs." International
  Higher Education Vol. 24 (Summer 2001): 2-3.
  
  
• Afshari, Reza. "An essay on scholarship, human rights, and state legitimacy: the case of
  the Islamic Republic of Islam." Human Rights Quarterly Vol. 18 (August 1996): 544-593.
  
  
• Beirne, S.J., Charles J. "Agents for Change or More Humane Oppressors?: Goal of Third
  World Universities." International Higher Education Vol. 3 (December 1996): 2-3.
  
  
• Saunders, Joseph H. "Academic Freedom and Human Rights: A Neglected Perspective."
  International Higher Education Vol. 33 (Fall 2003): 3-5.
  
  
• Schmitter, Phillippe C. "The Persecution of Political and Social Scientists in Brazil." PS
  Vol. 3 (Spring 1970): 123-128.
  
  
• Summak, M. Semih. "Academic Human Rights and Freedom in Turkey." Educational
  Forum Vol. 62 (Fall 1997): 32-39.
  
  
• Zeleza, Paul Tiyambe. "Dimension of Higher Education in Africa Academic Freedom in
  Africa" International Higher Education Vol. 1 (Spring 1995): 20-22.

Books

• Academic Freedom and University Institutional Responsibility in South East Europe [1989-2003]: Case Studies / Observatory of the Magna Charta.-- Bologna, Bononia University Press, 2004. 69p. (Observatory for Fundamental University Values and Rights)
  
  
• Managing University Autonomy: Shifting paradigms in university research / Observatory of the Magna Charta.-- Bologna, Bononia University Press, 2004. 142p.
  MEETING: Seminar of the Magna Charta Observatory: Proceedings. Bologna, 2003.
  
  
• Academic Freedom in Arab Universities: Understanding, practices and discrepancies/ Taha-Thomure, Hanada.-- Lanham,MD, University Press of America, 2003. 144p. ISBN: 0-7618-2498-7
  
  
• Case Studies: Academic freedom and university institutional responsibility in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern / Observatory of the Magna Charta.-- Bologna, Bononia University Press, 2003. 50p. (Observatory for Fundamental University Values and Rights)
  
  
• Higher Education Strategies in Venezuela: Higher education changes under a revolutionary government and the threats to academic freedom and institutional integrity/ Albornoz, Orlando / Universidad Central de Venezuela. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales.-- Caracas, Bibliotechnology Ediciones, 2003. 208p. ISBN: 980-6605-00-4
  
  
• The Idea of Engagement: Universities in society/ Bjarnason, S.; Ed.; Coldstream, P.; Ed. / Association of Commonwealth Universities [UK].-- London, 2003. 392p.
  
  
• The Public Research University: Serving the public good in new times/ Lewis, Darrell R; Ed.; Hearn, James; Ed..-- University Press of America, 2003. 260 p. ISBN: 0-7618-2517-7
  
  
• The Concept of Academic Freedom/ McGuinness, Kevin.-- Edwin Mellen Press, 2002. 316 p.
  (Mellen Studies in Education. no.72) ISBN: 0-7734-7061-1
  

• Daniel, John and Frederiek de Vlaming, Nigel Hartley, & Manfred Nowak, eds., Academic Freedom 2: A Human Rights Report, World University Service, (Zed Books, 1993).
  
  
• Daniel, John and Nigel Hartley, Yves Lado, Manfred Nowak & Frederiek de Vlaming, eds., Academic Freedom 3: Education and Human Rights, World University Service, (Zed Books, 1995).
  
  
• Erazo, Ximena, Mike Kirkwood, & Frederiek de Vlaming, eds. Academic Freedom 4: Education and Human Rights, World University Service, (Zed Books, 1996).
  
  
• Fanton, Jonathan F. The University and Civil Society (New School for Social Research 1995).
  

Reports

• Human Rights Watch, "Academic Freedom," Human Rights Watch World Report 2002.
  
  
• Human Rights Watch, entry on "Academic Freedom," Human Rights Watch World Report 2001.
  
  
• Human Rights Watch, entry on "Academic Freedom," Human Rights Watch World Report 2000.
  
  
• Human Rights Watch, "The Republic of Belarus: Violations of Academic Freedom," 11 Human Rights Watch Reports, No. 7at 4 (July 1999).
  
  
• Human Rights Watch, "Special Issues and Campaigns: Academic Freedom," Human Rights Watch World Report 1999 (Dec. 1998).
  
  
• Human Rights Watch, "Academic Freedom in Indonesia: Dismantling Soeharto-Era Barriers."
  (Aug. 1998).
  
  
• Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch World Report 1997 (Dec. 1996).
  
  

Displaced (and refugee) scholars

• Alter P. ed., Out of the Third Reich: Refugee Historians in Post-War Britain (London/New York 1998).
  
  
• Bentwich, Norman. The Rescue and Achievement of Refugee Scholars: The Story of Displaced Scholars and Scientists 1933-1952 (Martinus Nijhoff 1953).
  

• Coser, Lewis A. Refugee Scholars in America: Their Impact and Their Experiences (Yale University Press 1984).
  
  
• Duggan, Stephen & Betty Drury, The Rescue of Science and Learning: The Story of the Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars (MacMillan 1948).
  
  
• Epstein C., A Past Renewed: A Catalog of German-Speaking Refugee Historians in the United States After 1933 (Cambridge 1993).
  
  
• Fermi L., Illustrious Immigrants: The Intellectual Migration From Europe 1930-41 (Chicago/London 1968).
  
  
• Hoffmann Ch., "The Contribution of German-speaking Jewish Immigrants to British Historiography", in: W.E. Mosse ed., Second Chance: Two Centuries of German-Speaking Jews in the United Kingdom (Tuebingen 1991).
  
  
• Krohn C-D., Intellectuals in Exile: Refugee Scholars and the New School for Social Research (originally German 1987; Amherst 1993).
  
  

• Lehmann H. & J.J. Sheehan eds., An Interrupted Past: German-Speaking Refugee Historians in the United States (Cambridge 1991).

• Lord Beveridge, A Defence of Free Learning (Oxford University Press 1959).
  
  
• Malagón J., "Los Historiadores y la Historia", in: El Exilio Español de 1939 V: Arte y Ciencia (Madrid 1978).
  
  
• Medina J.A., Ortega."Historia", in: El Exilio Español en México 1939-1982 (Mexico 1982).
  
  
• Roeder W. & H.A. Strauss eds., Biographisches Handbuch der deutschsprachigen Emigration nach 1933 I (Muenchen etc. 1980).
  
  
• Strauss H.A. & W. Roeder eds., International Biographical Dictionary of Central European Emigrés 1933-1945 II (Muenchen etc.1983).

*Thanks to Prof. Antoon De Baets & Network of Concerned Historians for many of the sources.