Harvard University: Professor Fired for Newspaper Column
On July 16, 2011, in response to a terrorist bombing in Mumbai, India, Harvard University economics professor Subramanian Swamy published a critical column in the Indian Daily News & Analysis newspaper. Swamy’s controversial column offered ideas on how to "negate the political goals of Islamic terrorism in India," including a call to "[r]emove the masjid [mosque] in Kashi Vishwanath temple and the 300 masjids at other temple sites." In response, several Harvard students circulated a petition demanding that Harvard terminate Swamy’s employment. Harvard Summer School Dean Donald H. Pfister initially said that Harvard would give the case “serious attention,” prompting a letter from FIRE. Harvard administrators took no further action, but in December 2011, Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted to cancel Swamy’s scheduled summer 2012 courses, with multiple faculty members claiming Swamy’s column was “hate speech” that incited people to violence.
- "FIRE letter to Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Michael D. Smith, January 5, 2012," January 30, 2012
- "Letter from FIRE to Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Michael D. Smith, January 5, 2012," January 5, 2012
- "Letter from FIRE to Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust, July 27, 2011," July 27, 2011
- ""Analysis: How to wipe out Islamic terror," Daily News & Analysis, July 16, 2011," July 16, 2011
Case Materials
- "‘Harvard Crimson’ Exposes Violations of Free Speech in Policies Identified by FIRE," by Adam Kissel, January 30, 2012
- "Harvard Faculty Fires Economics Professor over Political Article Published in India," by Adam Kissel, December 8, 2011: Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences has effectively fired economics professor Subramanian Swamy by canceling all of his courses. The move came in response to an op-ed he published in India in the wake of the July 13 Mumbai terrorist bombing. Although Harvard's administration defended Professor Swamy's rights to his political opinions this summer after FIRE intervened, the faculty fired him for his political views in its meeting on Tuesday. Free speech and academic freedom are in danger at Harvard.
- "Victory at Harvard: University Stands Up for Rights of Controversial Professor," by Peter Bonilla, September 22, 2011
- "Harvard, India, Swamy, and the Right to Advocate for Radical Social Change," by Adam Kissel, August 1, 2011
- "Harvard Must Remember Free Speech Promises, End Investigation of Professor's Newspaper Column," by Peter Bonilla, July 28, 2011
Blog Entries
- "Over the Line,"
by Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, December 8, 2011 - "Harvard instructor under fire for anti-terrorism op-ed attacking Muslims,"
by C.J. Ciaramella, The Daily Caller, August 1, 2011 - "Harvard Instructor May Face Removal Over Anti-Muslim Op-Ed,"
by Ujala Sehgal, The Atlantic Wire, July 30, 2011
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