Unjust Mistreatment Of Angana Chatterji And Richard Shapiro
At CIIS
By Students Of CIIS
13 October, 2011
Countercurrents.org
Dear Friends and Allies of Angana Chatterji and Richard Shapiro:
It is with great sadness that we are
reaching out to you today for solidarity and care. We are Anthropology
Students at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where
our only two full-time core faculty, Professor Angana Chatterji and
Professor Richard Shapiro, are being targeted through an
Administrative process that threatens both with termination. Both
Shapiro and Chatterji remain unable to speak publicly to the
allegations due to a gag order imposed by Administration. A
significant majority of students continue to mobilize in support of
our faculty.
Our efforts are not just in defense of Professors Shapiro and
Chatterji and the valued education we have received with them. Rather,
we feel that the actions taken by the senior administrators who have
led the charge against our faculty have also threatened our futures
and academic freedom. CIIS Administration has banished our professors
from teaching without considering the effect it has on our education
and our social justice work. Attached is a detailed information sheet
giving more information about the actions of senior administrators and
their effects on faculty members, students, and others connected to
our community. We implore you to read it.
We hope that we may be in further contact to keep you abreast of the
situation and of solidarity actions as they unfold. Thank you for your
consideration.
Sincerely,
Pei Wu, SCA PhD Candidate
Jessica Hsu, SCA PhD Student
Tanisha Payton, SCA PhD Student
MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact:
Jessica Hsu | [email protected]
Eva Goodwin | [email protected]
The Law Offices of Michael S. Sorgen | [email protected]
PROTEST AT CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF INTEGRAL STUDIES ON 10/15
DEMANDING REINSTATEMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY DEPARTMENT FACULTY: CHAIR
RICHARD SHAPIRO AND PROFESSOR ANGANA CHATTERJI, CO-CONVENER OF THE
INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE IN
INDIAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR
WHAT:
Protest demanding the immediate reinstatement of scholar-activists,
Professor Angana Chatterji (Co-convener of the International People’s
Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-Administered Kashmir),
and Professor Richard Shapiro (Department Chair).
WHO:
Students, alumni, faculty, and friends in support of the only two
full-time core faculty in the Social and Cultural Anthropology
Department.
WHEN & WHERE:
Saturday, October 15th, 2011 @ 9:00 AM
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) - 1453 Mission Street,
San Francisco CA
WHY:
Students of the Social and Cultural Anthropology Department at CIIS
are enraged by the suspension of two highly distinguished professors,
Richard Shapiro and Angana Chatterji. Since their suspension on July
19th, 2011 by CIIS Administration, the proceedings and treatment have
had detrimental effects on the scholarly and advocacy work of both
professors and students. Details of the allegations have not been
revealed to the students, and a gag order has been imposed on the two
professors. However, members of the CIIS administration have publicly
aired their version of the facts as if they were uncontested. Further
information will be available at the protest.
To date, Professors Chatterji and Shapiro have not been reinstated
even after the American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
urged their reinstatement in a letter sent on August 11, 2011.
Anthropology students have asked Administration about the continuance
of their professors as faculty at CIIS and they have been told it is
uncertain. It has been circulated that the Administration is seeking
the dismissal of Chatterji and Shapiro. Currently, the matter is
before a Faculty Hearing Board.
Chatterji and Shapiro’s scholarly and advocacy work have focused on
justice and restitution in conflict areas, anti-oppression work, and
scholarship critical of systematic forms of oppression. Chatterji has
been threatened before due to her work in Kashmir and on Hindu
nationalism, and Shapiro has been vocal at the Institute on issues of
collaborative governance and academic freedom.
Affected MA and PhD Students are of diverse backgrounds. The
department is approximately 49% persons “of color”, with 68% LBGTQIQ
identified, and many of working class backgrounds. Students have
worked in Israel/Palestine, in Nicaragua, on immigrant issues, in
Southeast Asia on refugee rights, enforced and involuntary
disappearances in Afro-Colombian communities, displacement and poverty
in Haiti, education reform in the inner city, in Roma communities, and
veterans issues in the United States. The overwhelming majority of
students insist their studies continue with these two professors and
35+ students have retained legal representation with the Law Offices
of Michael S. Sorgen in San Francisco to pursue legal action against
the Institute.
For more information: http://www.injusticeatciis.net
Comments are not moderated. Please be responsible and civil in your postings and stay within the topic discussed in the article too. If you find inappropriate comments, just Flag (Report) them and they will move into moderation que.
