SAR Press Release:

Southern Connecticut State University to welcome its first Scholars at Risk Speaker to campus

SAR-PR-04-03, April 6, 2004

Dr. Jean-Mathieu Essis, a political scientist from Cote d'Ivoire (West Africa) will give a lecture on April 24 at the New England Sociological Association's (NESA) Spring 2004 conference held at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) as part of the Scholars at Risk Speaker Series which educates the public about threats to academic freedom and attacks on scholars.

The lecture, entitled "Culture, Political Conflict and Civil War in Cote d'Ivoire" will be held on April 24, from 4:00 - 5:00 pm on the SCSU campus. Dr. Essis will address the effects of civil strife in Cote d'Ivoire, including political violence and ethnic clashes on society. Dr. Essis's visit is organized by NESA and sponsored by SCSU, the SCSU Department of Sociology and the Scholars at Risk Network. Dr. Essis has been invited as the afternoon plenary speaker with plenary discussants Dr. Troy Paddock, professor of history and Dr. Shirley A. Jackson, professor of sociology at SCSU.

The lecture is part of the Scholars at Risk Speaker Series which is designed to raise public awareness about threats to academic freedom and attacks on scholars. "We are very fortunate to include Dr. Essis in the Speaker Series," says Rob Quinn, director of Scholars at Risk, "Dr. Essis is a truly courageous individual and is an excellent example of the kind of scholars we help-since Dr. Essis left his home country, he has had to completely start over-from reestablishing his career to integrating his family into a entirely new community."

Dr. Essis left Cote d'Ivoire on August 19, 2002, to conduct postdoctoral research on multilateral responses to transnational problems as a Fulbright-Brine Visiting Scholar at the Center on International Cooperation (CIC) at New York University. One month later, the country was torn apart by an armed rebellion. In January 2003, Dr. Essis was accused of collaboration with forces hostile to the ruling party, on the basis of his academic work of previous years. He then received threats on his life and that of his family, forcing them to leave their country. At the recommendation of Scholars at Risk, Dr. Essis has contacted the Lawyers Committee on Human Rights for assistance in applying for political asylum in the United States. He is currently a visiting fellow at his alma mater, George Mason University.

"We are so grateful to SCSU and in particular the Department of Sociology for welcoming Dr. Essis to the campus," said Quinn, "and to the New England Sociological Association for its support for Dr. Essis and for organizing this timely and important conference."
Scholars at Risk is an international network of more than 80 universities and colleges working to promote academic freedom and to defend the human rights of scholars worldwide. Scholars at Risk relocated from the University of Chicago to New York University in late 2003. Scholars at Risk's primary activity is to arrange short-term, emergency visits to Network member institutions in the US and abroad for scholars like Essis who suffer because of their work, prominence, or exercise of their basic human rights. Since late 2000, Scholars at Risk has received requests for assistance from more than 450 candidates in 84 countries and has arranged fellowships, lectures or other assistance for more than 75 scholars. For more information about Scholars at Risk, visit: http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu or call (212) 998-2179.

The theme for NESA's Spring 2004 conference is "Perspectives on Culture and Socialization: Explorations of National and Global Communities." The one-day program features a variety of papers, workshops, and roundtable discussions centered around a keynote address by University of Connecticut sociologist Nancy A. Naples. Registration is required for this event. For more information about the Spring 2004 NESA Conference, visit: http://web.bryant.edu/~nesa/spring2004/index.htm. Media interested in attending the event should arrange access by contacting Dr. Shirley Jackson at (203) 392 5676.

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