Academic boycott of Israel by Association for Asian American Studies gains support

Updated 8:09 a.m. Pacific Time

The Association for Asian American Studies today picked up support for its academic boycott of Israel (pictured Israeli University, photo by Heatkernels)

Results of a vote by the 5,000 member American Studies Association were announced today with a record 1252 members voting, the measure passed with 66 percent support.

The Association’s council had recommended December 4 that the boycott be supported.

This is the first such boycott of any nation’s universities supported by the Association, according to the New York Times.
The Association for Asian American Studies decision last year came under heavy criticism from Jewish groups and Rep Grace Meng (D-NY) whose district includes a large number of both Asian Americans and Jews.

The American Association of University Professors recently restated its opposition against all academic boycotts.

In a statement, ASA said:

The resolution is in solidarity with scholars and students deprived of their academic freedom and it aspires to enlarge that freedom for all, including Palestinians. The ASA’s endorsement of the academic boycott emerges from the context of US military and other support for Israel; Israel’s violation of international law and UN resolutions; the documented impact of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian scholars and students; the extent to which Israeli institutions of higher education are a party to state policies that violate human rights.

You can read more about this controversy in the New York Times.