Below are some of our key documents
Op-Eds
For a concise statement outlining our position, see Lisa Rofel and Ilana Feldman on “Why Anthropologists Should Boycott Israeli Academic Institutions”
For information on the impact of boycott movements on Israeli policy, see “Is an Academic Boycott Effective? Ask Israeli Leaders”
Why have some anthropologists elected to support the boycott anonymously? Ajantha Subramanian and Lori Allen explain in “Debating the Academic Boycott of Israel in a Climate of Fear”
Task Force on AAA Engagement on Israel/Palestine
A summary of the Task Force report and a link to the full text can be found here.
Our statement on the Task Force Report: “A Case for Action: The AAA Task Force Report on Engagement with Israel/Palestine”
For an analysis of the report, see Lori Allen & Ajantha Subramanian, “Engaged Anthropology: The AAA’s Task Force Report on Israel/Palestine”
Our submission to the AAA Task Force on Israel/Palestine: “The Relevance of Anthropology for the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions”
Position Papers
For information on implementing the boycott on your own, see our document “Boycotting Academic Institutions — Advice for Anthropologists.”
Palestinian Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel, Guidelines for the International Academic Boycott of Israel (Revised July 2014)
FAQs & Handouts
For responses to the most common objections to the boycott, see the “Yes, but…” section of our site.
Also see our two-page handout on “Myths and Facts About the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions”
Would you like to plan a teach-in on the boycott in your department? We have prepared a teach-in packet with everything you need to get started.
Endorsements
Jewish Voice for Peace has endorsed our resolution to boycott Israeli academic institutions
Numerous anthropologists have written statements explaining why they have decided to support the boycott. These include:
- Thomas Blom Hansen, “Why I Support the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions“
- Talal Asad, “Why Do I Support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement?“
- Brian Boyd, “Archaeology and the Boycott“
- James Ferguson, “Israel BDS — Why I Signed … Reluctantly“
- J. Lorand Matory, “Hurt People Hurt People“
- Ann Laura Stoler, “By Colonial Design: or Why We Say We Don’t Know Enough“
- Mick Taussig, “Why I Urge Support for BDS“
Read all of our endorsements here.
Palestinian Voices
The academic boycott is in part an act of solidarity with our Palestinian colleagues whose human rights and academic freedom are routinely violated. Several Palestinian anthropologists have written about what the boycott means to them:
- Rhoda Kanaaneh, “Nakba Walks“
- Amahl Bishara, “Wearing Catastrophe on our Chests“
- Dina Omar, “We Are All Uncomfortable: On Academic Boycott & What is Productive“
Read all of our statements from Palestinian colleagues here
Israeli Voices
We call for the boycott of Israeli academic institutions, not Israeli scholars.
Here is a letter from 22 Israeli anthropologists supporting the boycott.
Read this eloquent essay by an Israeli graduate student who for legal and other reasons must remain anonymous. “It’s not the end of the world, it’s a necessary challenge to our cosmology.”
See also Israeli anthropologist Hilla Dayan’s powerful statement in support of the boycott.
Israeli anthropologists also issued this statement criticizing an anti-boycott resolution passed by the Israeli Anthropological Association and also organized this open letter calling for open discussion of the boycott.
Audio & Video
“Why We Need an Academic Boycott: The Struggle for Education at Birzeit University,” a short video featuring interviews with Palestinian scholars and students.
Check out this video of our webinar on the boycott vote.
Video of our panel on “Ethical Academic Advocacy for Palestinian Rights and the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions” from AAA 2015 in Denver.
Audio and a partial transcript is available for one of our 2014 panels, “What is the Role of Academia in Political Change?: The Case of BDS and Israeli Violations of International Law.”
