#BRISMES2026 | We are deeply grateful to Gaza-based artist Osama Hussein for the official illustration of this year’s conference, "War, Empire and Sabotage in an Age of Genocide."
Check out Osama’s work here: instagram.com/os.hussen/
#AcademicConference #MiddleEastStudies #GazaArtists
As BRISMES has also stressed, a concerning case at the @openuniversity.bsky.social highlights the growing impact of political pressure on #academicfreedom, teaching, and scholarship on Palestine–Israel. Important article by @owenjones.bsky.social 👇 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
02.03.2026 11:49 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
BRISMES is featured in @thenewarab.bsky.social following our recent letter raising serious concerns about the @openuniversity.bsky.social's decision to remove the term “ancient Palestine” from teaching materials. #Academicfreedom and scholarly integrity must be upheld.
02.03.2026 08:51 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0We call on the university to publicly confirm that staff at the Open University will be free to use the terminology that they deem academically appropriate, including the term ‘ancient #Palestine’. 3/3
26.02.2026 16:41 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Based on the information available to us, it appears that the university’s response risks requiring academics to frame their teaching according to the preferred perspective of an external political pressure group, which would constitute a clear violation of #academicfreedom. 2/3
26.02.2026 16:41 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
The image shows page 1 of the letter from the BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom to The Open University. The letter is available to read in full on the BRISMES website: https://www.brismes.ac.uk/news/academic-freedom-letter-to-the-open-university-regarding-use-of-the-term-ancient-palestine
The image shows page 2 of the letter from the BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom to The Open University. The letter is available to read in full on the BRISMES website: https://www.brismes.ac.uk/news/academic-freedom-letter-to-the-open-university-regarding-use-of-the-term-ancient-palestine
The image shows page 3 of the letter from the BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom to The Open University. The letter is available to read in full on the BRISMES website: https://www.brismes.ac.uk/news/academic-freedom-letter-to-the-open-university-regarding-use-of-the-term-ancient-palestine
The image shows page 4 of the letter from the BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom to The Open University. The letter is available to read in full on the BRISMES website: https://www.brismes.ac.uk/news/academic-freedom-letter-to-the-open-university-regarding-use-of-the-term-ancient-palestine
#AcademicFreedom | We have written to The @openuniversity.bsky.social to express our profound concern about the university’s response to a letter from the UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) regarding the use of the term ‘#ancientPalestine’.
Read our letter: bit.ly/4r0j68L 1/3
🚨 Job opportunity!
Join BRISMES as a part-time Conference Assistant for our 2026 Annual Conference at @soasuni.bsky.social.
🗓 Deadline: 15 March 2026
👉 brismes.ac.uk/news/job-opp...
#JobsInAcademia #PhDjobs
🚨 Register now for our #BISA2026 public lecture with Ilan Pappe 🚨
‘Gaza as an epicentre - the breakdown of the international order’ - all are welcome to attend 🌍
Space is limited so don't miss out! 👉 https://ow.ly/qhIf50Y4lfY
Simon Rushton @julietdryden.bsky.social VisitBrighton Juanita Elias
@bordercrossings.bsky.social presents a new interactive performance 3-8 March.
Created with Syrian refugee women & featuring live debate, it reimagines The Suppliants — Aeschylus’ 2,500-year-old play, to explore asylum and democracy today.
bordercrossings.org.uk/whats-on/programme/suppliants-syria
Curious about #MENA #Archives and their colonial & anticolonial legacies?
📽️ Watch the recording of the BRISMES webinar "What’s in an Archive?", organised by our Outreach & Pedagogy Committee:
#MENA #Events | Teach-in on the current situation of universities in #Rojava and the possibilities for academic solidarity, organized by DAVO-CAF.
📆 Wednesday, February 11
⏰ 20:00 Rojava | 18:00 (CET) | 12:00 (EST)
Register 👉 shorturl.at/PXZZR
🚨 BRISMES supports this call to action 🚨
🗓️ 17 March
The govt plans to give police new powers that could effectively ban repeat protests. Alongside many civil society groups, we urge MPs to oppose this attack on fundamental rights.
🔗 Register: palestinecampaign.eaction.org.uk/March2026Lobby
The image shows an orange poster with the BRISMES logo and a summary of the call for nominations. More information is available on the BRISMES website: www.brismes.ac.uk/news/president
📢BRISMES is seeking nominations for a new President who will provide academic and strategic leadership to the Society, ensuring that it continues to thrive as a sustainable, inclusive and forward-looking community for #MiddleEastStudies in the UK and beyond.
👉www.brismes.ac.uk/news/president
Starting now! 👇
27.01.2026 15:12 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
BRISMES members are welcome to share their published pieces through the BRISMES newsletter and social media. If you are not yet a member, you can join here: www.brismes.ac.uk/membership
27.01.2026 11:44 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
📚#Research by BRISMES Members | The Piruzai of Afghanistan
In the 1970s, Nancy Lindisfarne-Tapper & Richard Tapper lived with the Piruzai. Their book shares 380+ photos capturing the people, landscapes, and life of northern #Afghanistan.
Read more: shorturl.at/3GbL4
📚@scholarsatrisk.bsky.social and @amnesty.org have launched a free, online course exploring #academicfreedom, how it connects to #humanrights and #highereducation values and why it matters for scholars, students, and society.
👇More info below
#AcademicFreedom | @cnn.com has published its coverage of the #UsamaGhanem case at KCL, including comments from Lewis Turner, BRISMES co-vice president and chair of BRISMES CAF, on academic freedom and #freedomofexpression. Worth a read 👇
edition.cnn.com/2026/01/23/e...
#HigherEducation
The image shows page 1 of the letter from BRISMES. The letter is available to read in full on the BRISMES website: https://www.brismes.ac.uk/news/letter-regarding-arrests-for-use-of-the-phrase-globalise-the-intifada
The image shows page 2 of the letter from BRISMES. The letter is available to read in full on the BRISMES website: https://www.brismes.ac.uk/news/letter-regarding-arrests-for-use-of-the-phrase-globalise-the-intifada
The image shows page 3 of the letter from BRISMES. The letter is available to read in full on the BRISMES website: https://www.brismes.ac.uk/news/letter-regarding-arrests-for-use-of-the-phrase-globalise-the-intifada
BRISMES has written to the Metropolitan Police and the Greater Manchester Police expressing our serious concern regarding recent arrests of #Palestine #solidarity protesters for holding placards or chanting slogans that include the phrase “Globalise the intifada".
Read our letter: bit.ly/49WU0RP
The CAFs of the German Middle Eastern Association (DAVO) & @brismes.bsky.social condemn Israel’s military assault on Birzeit University and call on the international community to pressure Israel to end its systematic targeting of Palestinian universities.
➡️ davo1.de/wp-content/u...
The image shows a poster advertising the 2026 BRISMES Early Career Development Scholarship. The deadline for submissions is 20 March 2026. For more information please visit the BRISMES website: www.brismes.ac.uk/awards/ecds
📢We are pleased to announce that submissions are open for the 2026 BRISMES #EarlyCareer Development Scholarship! Two awards of £3,000 each are available.
🗓Deadline: 20 March 2026
🔗www.brismes.ac.uk/awards/ecds
#EarlyCareerResearchers #ECR #awards #funding #MiddleEastStudies #postdoc
The core problem for the international order is twofold:
1. Persistent armed attacks and violence against students and universities
2. A broad lack of engagement and integrity in Western academia
A @brismes.bsky.social online webinar on “What’s in an Archive? The Colonial and Anticolonial Afterlives of MENA Archives” - 27 January 2026
For more information and to register: www.brismes.ac.uk/events/outre...
#MMARe #MSCA #HistoryOfArchaeology
Shared for reference; opinions not my own.
Join us for the launch of our new report:
Palestinian Education Still Under Attack: Restoration, Recovery, Rights and Responsibilities in and through Education
Register here to join in person or online: https://palestinianeducation.eventbrite.co.uk/
#eventreminder | BRISMES warmly invites you to its next event “What’s in an #Archive? The Colonial and Anticolonial Afterlives of MENA Archives.”
🗓️ 27 January | 15:30 | Online
🗂️ Exploring #MENA collections, archival ethics and archive research.
More info and registration: bit.ly/OP_Archives
Joined statement by the @brismes.bsky.social and DAVO committees on #academicfreedom on the IDFs attack on Birzeit University Campus calling for condemnation of the ongoing attacks and destruction of Palestinian higher education institutions by the international academic community.
20.01.2026 11:06 — 👍 6 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
The #AcademicFreedom Committees of BRISMES and the German Middle East Studies Association (DAVO) strongly condemn the Israeli military attack on #Birzeit University on 6 January 2026.
Read our statement in full: bit.ly/Birzeit_200126
📢 #CallForApplications | BRISMES invites nominations for two elected positions on our Communications Committee - help shape our social media, website & newsletter and promote #MENA studies.
🕔 Submit by Sunday, 18 January, at 5PM (GMT)
More info: bit.ly/BRISMESComms
Grateful to @brismes.bsky.social for this letter, calling out the harmful path @qmul.bsky.social management has taken in policing posters on staff's office doors.
16.01.2026 08:43 — 👍 6 🔁 5 💬 1 📌 0
📢 Submissions are still open for #BRISMES2026 and the deadline is approaching!
"#War, Empire and Sabotage in an Age of #Genocide"
📅 23–25 June 2026 @soasuni.bsky.social
👉 #CallForPapers: bit.ly/BRISMES2026
Submit by next Sunday 18 Jan!
#MiddleEastStudies #AcademicConference
