Epistolary Political Theory in the Digital Age: Letters from the Salaita Affair

The following are the digital epistolaries that the editors at Theory & Event have archived concerning the termination of Steven Salaita’s contract at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. All of these materials, which are in the public domain, were provided to us by the authors for this purpose. As we mention in the Introduction to this issue, the event of termination generated a plethora of similar missives on the internet. We offer this collection here – unedited and unremarked – in their full presentational force (Davide Panagia and James Martel).

Chancellor Phyllis Wise
Office of the Chancellor
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
August 4, 2014

Dear Chancellor Wise:

I am writing with regard to your decision to withdraw the appointment of Professor Steven Salaita on the basis of comments he has made on Twitter, Facebook and other public media regarding the conflict in Palestine and Israel. Freedom of speech was established to secure speech of exactly this kind: political speech that people (especially the majority of people) are likely to find offensive or outrageous. Academic freedom is meant similarly to secure the right of academics to express themselves truthfully, however unpopular their views may be. Professor Salaita has the right of every citizen to express himself on issues of public moment, and to express himself intemperately if he chooses. No university can or should abridge that right. On the contrary, it is the duty of all universities to shelter controversial, contentious, and uncomfortable speech. If there is to be a litmus test on “tasteful” or “appropriate” opinions, you have abandoned your University’s commitment to academic freedom. Surely, you do not claim the right to determine what University employees may and may not say with regard to the important political issues of our day?

What is even more disturbing in this case is the appearance that you are acting at the behest of individuals and political groups who have political views opposed to Professor Salaita. Are you applying this execrable policy with an even hand? Have you reviewed the tweets, public statements and Facebook posts of all employees? On all issues of public moment? Or simply those of one man, on the issue of Palestine?

I call on you to rescind your decision to deny Professor Salaita an appointment, and to commit your administration to the principle of academic freedom.

Sincerely yours,

Anne Norton
Professor of Political Science
The University of Pennsylvania

Dear Trustees of the University of Illinois,

I am a Professor at the London School of Economics. I am also a faculty-elected member of the LSE’s Court of Governors. I write, however, in an individual capacity.

If you withhold pro forma approval of Professor Steven Salaita’s appointment alongside the others when you meet on September 11, you will make clear that associate and full professors at your university do not have tenure at the outset of their appointments. Rather, even after the starting dates listed on the letters of offer they have signed, their jobs may vanish without any demonstration of cause by normal procedures that apply to tenured professors.

You will also make clear that the assurances, norms, and practices on which academics rely when they resign their posts, in order to take up jobs elsewhere, do not apply when it comes to offers from the University of Illinois.

You will thereby undermine your ability to recruit the best scholars and teachers.

I therefore urge you to follow the recommendation of the AAUP to treat “Professor Salaita’s situation as that of a faculty member suspended [with pay] from his academic responsibilities pending a hearing on his fitness to continue.”

Otherwise, you will provide overwhelming grounds for AAUP censure, of which academics around the world will take note.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Otsuka

personal.lse.ac.uk/OTSUKAM/

August 6, 2014

Chancellor Phyllis Wise
University of Illinois
chancellor@illinois.edu, pmischo@illinois.edu, rwarrior@illinois.edu, ais@illinois.edu

Dear Chancellor Wise:

I write with alarm and dismay at the decision to not forward Professor Salaita’s name to the Board of Trustees. This is a direct blow to the principles of academic...