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Professors Sue American Studies Association for Illegal Boycott of Israel
by Paul Miller
April 21, 2016

A lawsuit filed on behalf of four professors against the American Studies Association for its boycott of Israel accuses the ASA of “blatant politicization” of an academic association, in violation of Washington, D.C law governing nonprofit organizations. In December 2013, ASA adopted a boycott policy against the Jewish state. The plaintiffs in this case argue that several anti-Israel activists, including founding members of the U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI), abused their position of leadership to make anti-Israel activity a priority of the Association. According to a press release from the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, “ASA’s stated mission has nothing to do with boycotting a foreign nation and thus the suit alleges its adoption violates the law that governs nonprofit corporations.” READ MORE