Repression Against Activist Scholars in Hong Kong!

May 4th, 2017 | By

The Umbrella Movement (or Occupy Central) is a democracy movement fighting for universal suffrage in the election of the chief executive (head of the government) in Hong Kong.  China had promised giving Hong Kong democracy before the handover of Hong Kong from United Kingdom to China in 1997.  In Aug. 31, 2014, however, China made
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Freedom of expression under threat on Indian University campuses

Mar 1st, 2017 | By and

The recent violence at Delhi University’s Ramjas College is another example of growing threat to freedom of expression on Indian University Campuses since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014. The violence erupted after the nationalist group ABVP disrupted a seminar titled, ‘Cultures of Protest’.  This incident, once again highlights the
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Repression against Turkish academics continues

Feb 15th, 2017 | By and

With an new state of emergency decree published on 7 February 2017, the Turkish government has expelled another 4,464 public workers, among them 330 academics (source). According to vocaleurope.eu, this purge turns “Turkey into an ‘intellectual desert.’” The ISA 47 Initiative against repression of academics strongly condemns the recent wave of purge and assault on
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New Initiative Against Repression of Academics

Nov 22nd, 2016 | By and

During the ISA Forum in Vienna, members of RC 47 decided to take on a more active role against different forms of repression posed on academics. This decision is a timely response to recent repressive developments within authoritarian regimes of the global South as well as the so called democracies of the global North. Today,
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Repression Against Academics for Peace in Turkey

Nov 22nd, 2016 | By

Since the collapse of the peace process with the Kurdish Liberation Movement, the government of Turkey has declared curfews in Turkey’s Kurdish cities and villages. On 11 January 2016, 1128 academics from Turkey issued a declaration called,  “we will not be a party to this crime”, with the support of more than 2000 international colleagues.
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Repression Against the Student Movement in South Africa

Nov 22nd, 2016 | By
Protest Nation (Cover)

Students across South Africa are engaged in an ongoing struggle for free education. The #feesmustfall campaign, which began in October 2015, has turned violent. Buildings and vehicles at several universities have been burned since a new wave of protests kicked off in the middle of September 2016. University management has responded by securitizing campuses, seeking
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ISA47 Special Session on Repression

Jul 8th, 2016 | By

ISA47 Special session on  Repression and violence against social movement scholars and sociologists Saturday July the 9th, 18h-20h Location: NS II, Neues Institutsgebäude, Universitätsstraße 7, University of ViennaChair/Introduction: Geoffrey Pleyers, ISA47, University of Louvain The situation in Egypt (tbc) The situation in Turkey, by Buket Turkmen (University of Galatasaray) The situation in India, by Shruti Tambe (University of Pune) The
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Repression against scholars in Turkey

Mar 17th, 2016 | By

Repression against scholars in Turkey ISA47 statement, 17.03.2016 (you can download here the pdf version) Dear colleagues, 2016 is a frightening year for freedom, peace and social sciences. As I wrote you 5 weeks ago, instead of diffusing researchers’ work and publications, the role of an ISA Research Committee on social movements has suddenly become
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Social movement scholar Giulio Regeni murdered in Cairo

Mar 17th, 2016 | By

Italian and Turkish translations below.   Social movement scholar Giulio Regeni murdered in Cairo Geoffrey Pleyers, President of ISA47 “Social movements” 08.02.2016 (here you can download the pdf version) It is very sad news to learn the forced disappearance, torture and murder of our young colleague Giulio Regeni. He was conducting a doctoral research on
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