More Than 115 Scholars Decry Harvard Journal Cancellation as Censorship

CAMBRIDGE, MA - August 14, 2025 In a resolute rebuke of academic censorship, over 115 education scholars have denounced the abrupt cancellation of a planned special issue of the Harvard Educational Review (HER) devoted to Palestine and education amid the Gaza war. The issue had been fully assembled - submissions reviewed, contracts signed, and promotional materials prepared - when Harvard Education Publishing Group (HEPG) pulled it, citing a need for a legal “risk assessment” and questioning editorial alignment. Critics regard this as a politically motivated act that deliberately suppresses Palestinian perspectives.

Signatories - including PEN America and the Middle East Studies Association - see the cancellation as anti-Palestinian discrimination and a violation of academic freedom. In response, they’ve called for an apology, the reissuance of the special edition, and structural safeguards to protect editorial independence. The letter also signals a boycott of HEPG unless their demands are met.

The decision follows a deeply fraught climate at Harvard, shaped by political pressure from the Trump administration over campus antisemitism and Palestine-related discourse. Scholars warn that this incident sets a troubling precedent, demonstrating how scholarly autonomy can be compromised under political duress.

*Sources: *https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/aug/14/harvard-journal-israel-gaza-cancellation