SAR in the Press

The following includes select interviews, articles, and op-eds by or about Scholars at Risk and its network.

An Interview with Robert Quinn, Founding Executive Director of the Global Network Scholars at Risk

A Q/A by Vanessa Frangville and Gwennaël Gaffric, for Transtext(e)sTranscultures’s special issue “Academic Freedom in a Global Context: Challenges and Perspectives.” VF & GG: We often hear that academic freedom, like other “universal values”, is a western-centric concept and that

Do academic boycotts work?

A piece by Simon Baker, for Times Higher Education: The Ukraine war has led to unprecedented curtailment of academic ties, but could breaking off all relations with Russia cause further problems? The sheer brutality of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine

UConn and Scholars at Risk: A Life-Saving Partnership, A Transformative Educational Experience

A piece by Jaclyn Severance, for UConn Today. A journalist and activist, Marvi Sirmed faces threats of violence in her home country of Pakistan, but has found safety and academic freedom through UConn’s unique and longstanding partnership with the Scholars

The 2021 ‘Free to Think’ Global Academic Freedom Report

A series of pieces in University World News on Free to Think 2021, SAR’s report tracing attacks on higher education communities around the world. The report analyzes 332 attacks on higher education communities in 65 countries and territories around the world

Scholar Against All Odds

A feature by Kristina Bye for Khrono on Abdulghani Muthanna, a SAR Scholar at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Muthanna describes Yemen, his family’s new life in Norway, and his search for a permanent position. “It is one

Who is afraid of academic freedom?

A piece by Sebastian Faber for Revista Contexto on cancel culture and threats against academic freedom. SAR Executive Director Robert Quinn describes political interventions directed at universities, as well as how academic freedom is a human right. Read more here.

Science Friction with Natasha Mitchell: What happens when your students join the Taliban? Afghan scientists in hiding

SAR Executive Director Robert Quinn spoke with ABC Radio National about the developing situation in Afghanistan and how the recent takeover by the Taliban has impacted higher education in the country. Listen to the episode here.

Our Universities Can Save Afghanistan’s Best and Brightest | Opinion

A piece by SAR Executive Director Robert Quinn and Allida Black for Newsweek covering universities efforts to assist at-risk scholars in Afghanistan. As fascism swept 1930s Europe, some universities paid little attention. Others rejected domestic panic, set aside prejudices, ignored

Brown, RISD join colleges vowing to help scholars from Afghanistan

A piece by Edward Fitzpatrick for The Boston Globe covering Scholars at Risk’s efforts to assist at-risk scholars in Afghanistan. PROVIDENCE — Scholars in Afghanistan, especially women, are facing threats from the Taliban and many are trying to flee the

‘Over 100 European institutions ready to host Afghan scholars’

A piece by Ben Upton for Research Professional News covering calls to protect academics in Afghanistan. The support and advocacy charity Scholars at Risk has told Research Professional News that more than 100 institutions in Europe have expressed an interest in

Flight From Afghanistan

A piece by Elizabeth Redden for Inside Higher Ed covering evacuation efforts in Afghanistan. Efforts continue to rescue scholars, students and higher education personnel in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover and the collapse of the Afghan government eight days ago. President Joe Biden

‘I don’t want to die.’ Afghan researchers fear for their safety—and the future of science

A piece by Richard Stone for Science Magazine covering the safety of academics in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover. Twice the Taliban tried to kill Khyber Mashal*. Its first attempt was in 2009, when the Afghan scientist was working on

Global calls to protect Afghan academics from Taliban

A piece by Pola Lem for Research Professional News covering calls to protect academics in Afghanistan. Dozens of governments and humanitarian groups, alongside hundreds of academics, have called for international support to be provided to students and researchers in Afghanistan—especially

Fear for the Future

A piece by Elizabeth Redden for Inside Higher Ed covering the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. Ahmad Zahid Mujaddedi logged in for a Zoom call late Saturday night after a long day helping distribute clothing and blankets collected for internally displaced

Press Release: Cooperation between AUTh and SAR Network for the protection of academics at risk

On the occasion of the International Refugee Day on June 20, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is pleased to announce the recent signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation with the International Network for the Protection of Academics at Risk (Scholars