Middle East Medievalists denounces, in the strongest possible terms, the ongoing attacks by Iran’s security forces against those protesting the arrest and murder of Mahsa “Zhina” Amini while in the custody of the Guidance Patrol in Tehran on September 16, 2022. In particular, we condemn the Iranian government’s violent attacks on university students and schoolchildren. We stand in solidarity with the Iranian people and all others around the world who are currently protesting gender discrimination and oppression, ethnic discrimination, and other violations of human rights.
MEM urges academic and cultural institutions to support Iranian scholars and foster learning about Iran’s past and present through the creation of fellowships, dedicated academic positions, language teaching, and more. We encourage academic and degree-granting institutions to create fellowships for Iranian students and academics, and to waive application fees for these positions. We hope that the renewed impetus of our board will inspire our audiences to stand by us in supporting the people of Iran and their rich scholarly, academic, and cultural heritage.
Ways to learn more and to help: