Organization of American Historians vs. Academic Freedom

Academic Freedom Alert:
Organization of American Historians, "the largest learned society devoted to the study of American history," appoints "Historians Against the War" activist to investigate "threats to freedom of speech" for historians, such as "Students for Academic Freedom" and "hostile government scrutiny." Meeting co-sponsored by Tufts, BC, BU, and University of Rhode Island History Departments, Harvard University Press, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and Wellsley College Women's Studies Program.

Background:
Historians vs. Reality
By Ronald Radosh
April 5, 2004
http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=12876

Historians Against the War Petition the Organization of American Historians (OAH)
3-25-04: Historians/History
http://hnn.us/articles/4319.html

Among the reported developments which have alarmed historians and which illustrate, but unfortunately do not exhaust, the matters into which the ad hoc committee might choose to inquire are the following:

Restrictions of research and surveillance of library use under the USAPATRIOT Act, the repeal of which has been advocated by a growing number of faculty senates

Systematic denunciation of historians who have criticized government policy by Campus Watch, No Indoctrination, Students for Academic Freedom, and other groups

Hostile government scrutiny of foreign language and area studies programs

Organization of American Historians 2004 Annual Meeting in Boston was sponsored by:

# Boston College Department of History
# Boston University Department of History
# Brandeis University Graduate Program in American History
# Brandeis University Women's Studies Program
# Harvard University Press
# Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
# Tufts University Department of History
# University of Rhode Island Department of History
# Wellsley College Women's Studies Program

http://www.oah.org/meetings/2004/index.html