New Proposals: Journal of Marxism and Interdisciplinary Inquiry Vol.2, No. 2 (May 2009) Pp. 18-23 Politics of Apprehension: Teaching about the Middle East in Uncertain Times Afsaneh Kalantary UC Santa Cruz ABSTRACT: This paper engages with the complex ways in which current uncertain political conditions brought on by the politics of war and terror have produced new sets of fears, anxieties and obstacles for Middle Eastern anthropolo- gists and scholars teaching about the Middle East in U.S. academia. Elaborating on issues pertaining to the democratic rights of academics, censorship, self-censorship, and the general parameters of academic freedom, the author hopes to raise questions on the current state of academic freedom in U.S. higher education. Key words: Middle East; Academic Freedom; Practicing Democracy Introduction y paper engages with the complex ways in topic of this essay, I should note that I am an Iranian- which current uncertain political conditions American political exile. I am also an educator and inducedM by the politics of war and terror have pro- a cultural anthropologist by training and for my dis- duced new sets of fears, anxieties and intellectual and sertation research I have conducted ethnographic political hurdles for Middle Eastern anthropologists fieldwork with Iranian exiles in Berlin, Germany. and scholars teaching about the Middle East in U.S. Thus my scholarly interests are in a cross-disciplinary academia. Using examples from my own experience dialogue with the field of Middle Eastern Studies. of teaching about the Middle East and Iran, as well The purpose of my paper is to raise questions as pinpointing the current controversies involving which contribute to a broader conversation on the other Middle Eastern Studies scholars, I will elabo- current state of academic freedom in U.S. higher rate on issues pertaining to the democratic rights of education. Initially I was emboldened by my proj- academics, censorship, self-censorship, and the gen- ect which aimed to highlight the current restrictions eral parameters of academic freedom. faced by Middle Eastern Studies scholars and wanted By way of introduction and to clarify my per- to seek practical solutions to overcome the current sonal and intellectual trajectory and connection to the state of apprehension. However, at this point, in POLITICS OF APPREHENSION • 19 light of new anxieties, brought on by the fear of an dissenting views on U.S. policies in the Middle East impending war against Iran1 and my research into the and helped foster a climate of suspicion implicating history of contemporary purging and intimidation of those deemed unpatriotic. Therefore, those academ- academics in U.S. academe, I am not really sure if I ics who deal with issues pertaining to U.S. policies have any solutions as to how to deal with the existing and interventions in the Middle East, the history predicament faced by Middle Eastern Studies schol- of colonialism or neocolonialism in the region and ars other than simply to suggest to resist the stifling most significantly the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are effects of the climate of fear and stand in solidarity forced to be in a constant state of vigilance lest their with those affected. statements and writings be misconstrued, and read out of context and they be labelled as unpatriotic or Attacks on Middle East Studies Scholars suspected of lending support to terrorists or “rogue The tragic events of September 11th 2001, which states,” or better yet, their dossier end up in the web- allegedly put in motion the Bush administration’s sites such as Campus Watch catering to the right militaristic policies in the Middle East, have led to wing policy of silencing dissenters and censoring an exaggerated state of surveillance and silencing of Middle Eastern Studies scholars. dissent across the college campuses in the United In the following section, I will draw attention to States.2 The Bush administration’s staunch adherence some of the events that have had deleterious effects to the cultural superiority of the “West” in order to on the academic freedom of those engaged in the advance its “civilizing mission” in the form of war process of scholarship and teaching about the Middle and conquest and its appropriation of the discourse East. These events highlight current attacks on the of human rights and democracy as a pretext for its academic right to dissent and as with red-baiting permanent military aggression and empire building, during the 1950s, point to the ways in which those jeopardizes the academic integrity, autonomy and behind these attacks exploit the fear and anxiety the even personal welfare of those scholars who do not American public feels about faceless enemies abroad support these expansionist and neo-colonial policies and their lack of historical and political knowledge in in the region. President Bush’s post 9/11 “you are order to pursue their right wing expansionist agenda either with us or against us” stance in his declara- of creating a New American Century! tion of permanent war against a ubiquitous enemy, The report released by the National Research that is, TERROR, did not grant any legitimacy for Council (NRC) on federal subsidies to programs of Middle East Studies (and other area studies programs) 1 This essay was initially written during George Bush’s known as Title VI, asking for accountability on the second term, thus it is permeated with the effects of his part of these programs, overrules academic indepen- rhetoric of War on Terror and the ensuing politics of fear. It is too early to gauge the effect of Obama’s rhetoric dence from Department of Defense or intelligence of hope and change on real practical shifts in the U.S. agencies. This report insists on greater coordination policy towards the Middle East. Although Obama’s for- between the Department of Education, the State eign policy is articulated in terms of diplomacy rather than war, the continuation of war in Afghanistan and its Title VI was initially introduced in 1958 to train extension to Pakistan, as well as the current administra- experts who could meet the Cold War national defense tion’s uncritical stance on Israel’s recent attack on Gaza needs of the United States. Therefore, from its inception do not herald peace and prosperity in the region. With it was a form of the U.S. government’s intervention in respect to Obama’s policy towards Iran, the jury is still scholarship on international and area studies programs. out and the forthcoming presidential elections in Iran What is different now is the degree of direct involve- will probably play a decisive role in shaping Obama’s ment by defense and intelligence agencies and change policy towards Iran. in the areas of scholarship which align with the current national security needs. 2 The author is cognizant of the fact that along with the state of fear, there have been heroic efforts by many See Anthropology News, May 2007, p. 9. The NRC scholars and students to resist stifling of academic free- report may be accessed here: http://books.nap.edu/ doms and act in solidarity with those affected. html/1181 20 • A. KALANTARY Department, the Department of Defense and the in US academe is the report by Senator Joseph Office of National Intelligence in allocating subsi- Lieberman and Lynne Cheney’s American Council dies. In light of this report, in 2005 the U.S. House of of Trustees and Alumni, made public on November Representatives passed a higher education reform bill 2001, “Defending Civilization: How Our Universities that would establish an independent advisory board to Are Failing America and What Can Be Done About make recommendations that “will reflect diverse per- It.” While this document claims to promote aca- spectives and the full range of views on world regions, demic freedom and dissent, it argues for suppressing foreign language, and international affairs.” 5 the views of academics who do not support US for- The House bill passed on 2005 states that “the eign policy. The Council of Trustees and Alumni events and aftermath of September 11, 2001, have went further to lay the foundation for the conserva- underscored the need for the Nation to strengthen tive Middle East Forum’s McCarthyite blacklisting and enhance American knowledge of international project, Campus Watch, a website that lists the names relations, world regions, and foreign languages. of “unpatriotic” professors—that is, those scholars Homeland security and effective United States who criticize US foreign policy and Israeli occupa- engagement abroad depend upon an increased num- tion. The website, the brainchild of Daniel Pipes, a ber of Americans who have received such training right-wing medieval historian, encourages students and are willing to serve their Nation.” Therefore, this to inform on their professors and calls the victims of bill makes it obvious that it is the homeland security its smear campaign “apologists for suicide bombings needs of the United States which directs the pro- and militant Islam.” Although opposition to Campus cess of knowledge production about international Watch and similar efforts to blacklist scholars and relations. silence dissenting views in the academy is growing, According to this bill the education secretary can some argue that it is more than merely the academic monitor how Middle East Studies departments use career of individuals that is at stake here, for black- Federal funding and if they are producing suitable listing projects such as Campus Watch render their graduates for the U.S. diplomatic, intelligence and blacklisted targets susceptible to being charged with defense corps. That is, this bill requires the education crimes punishable under the USA Patriot Act. secretary to allocate funds according to “the degree to Nicholas De Genova, who was an assistant which activities of centers, programs, and fellowships professor of Cultural Anthropology at Columbia at institutions of higher education address national University, provides a telling example.