On July 27, 2024, it was reported that South Asian University (SAU) had launched a disciplinary investigation against Sasanka Perera, a cultural anthropologist and sociology professor, and one of his doctoral students in relation to the doctoral student’s dissertation proposal. Amid the investigation, Perera later retired early and the student withdrew from the doctoral program.
Perera, a Sri Lankan national, had been a lecturer at SAU for over 10 years; he was also one of the founding members, former vice president, and dean of the Sociology department. During the spring of 2024, SAU issued show-cause notices to both Perera and the doctoral student regarding the doctoral student’s dissertation proposal, which focused on Kashmiri ethnography and politics. The proposal cited an interview with linguist Noam Chomsky, in which Chomsky states that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is affiliated with a “radical Hindutva tradition” and accuses the prime minister of attempting to replace Indian secular democracy with “Hindu technocracy.” Because of procedural concerns amid the investigation, Perera opted for voluntary retirement effective July 31, 2024, nearly a year earlier than his scheduled August 2025 retirement. The student also withdrew from the doctoral program in early 2025.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about disciplinary actions against a faculty member and student for their academic work. Such actions are unduly burdensome and disruptive, and have a chilling impact on academic research and expression. University authorities have an obligation to refrain from retaliatory actions intended to punish, restrict, or chill the exercise of academic freedom and should employ transparent, fair processes when engaging in disciplinary actions. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, suspensions stemming from such activity undermines academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/professor-departs-south-asian-university-after-modi-criticism-row
https://concernedscientists.org/2024/09/sri-lankan-professor-of-sociology-leaves-south-asian-university-after-launching-politically-motivated-investigation-into-his-phd-students-proposal/
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sau-sri-lankan-scholar-sasanka-perera-forced-to-quit-9550920/
https://island.lk/sri-lankan-scholar-thrown-under-the-bus-in-new-delhi/
https://www.endangeredscholarsworldwide.net/post/censorship-leads-to-resignation-of-sociology-professor-at-south-asian-university