ASA Advocacy Policy
The ASA engages in advocacy to raise general awareness about the field of African Studies, to ensure the continued funding and support of African Studies within institutes of Higher Education, and to address ethical, academic freedom, and human rights issues relevant to the field. The ASA achieves its advocacy agenda by issuing position statements and letters to officials, participation in coalitions such as ACLS and the Council for International Education, and outreach to the media.
Read the complete ASA Advocacy Policy here and click below to enlarge the ASA Advocacy Timeline.
2024
ASA Co-signs American Historical Association Statement on 2024 Campus Protests
ASA Statement on the Current Crisis and a Ceasefire in Gaza
2023
ASA Co-signs American Council of Learned Societies Statement on Fighting for an Ambitious Vision of Public Higher Education in America
ASA Co-Signs American Council of Learned Societies Statement on SCOTUS Ruling on Affirmative Action
ASA Co-Signs American Council of Learned Societies Statement on The Effort to Undermine Academic Freedom in Florida House Bill 999
ASA signed statement: American Historical Association Statement Opposing Florida House Bill 999
ASA Co-Signs American Council of Learned Societies Statement In Support of Academic Freedom and New College of Florida
2022
Statement by the African Studies Association on Discriminatory Treatment meted out to Africans, including Scholars and Students, fleeing the war in Ukraine
ASA Signed Statement: Bomb Threats against HBCUs: A History of Domestic Terrorism by the American Historical Association
2021
Statement On Restrictions on Freedoms for University Students and Staff in eSwatini
ASA Co-Signs Joint Statement on Legislative Efforts to Restrict Education about Racism in American History (June 2021)
ASA Condemns the Destruction of Educational Institutions in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia
The Loss of Priceless Materials at the University of Cape Town
ASA signed statement: Ransacking Democracy: American Historical Association’s Statement on the Events [at the US Capitol] on January 6
2020
ASA signed statement by American Council of Learned Societies Letter Concerning COVID-19 and the Key Role of the Humanities and Social Sciences in the United States
Statement by the African Studies Association on Police Violence in African Countries
Statement by the African Studies Association on Police Violence and Racism in the United States
Statement by the African Studies Association in support of the Ghana Studies Association on the country’s proposed Public University Bill
2019
ASA Statement Concerning Police Violence at Makerere University, Uganda
ASA Statement Concerning the Unjust Detention of Roland Marchal and Fariba Adelkhah in Iran
ASA Signs on to the Middle East Studies Association Letter to the Department of Education
ASA Statement Concerning the Recent Dismissal of Dr. Paulo Faria from Agostinho Neto University
ASA Board of Directors Statement concerning the Sentencing of Dr. Stella Nyanzi
Statement of the African Studies Association Concerning Sudan June 2019
Statement of the African Studies Association Concerning Freedom of Expression in Sudan
ASA Attachment to IAI Statement on Plan S (please see the International African Institute’s Response to Plan S here)
2018
ASA Board of Directors Supports the Statement by the North American Association of Scholars on Cameroon on Human Rights
Statement by the ASA Board of Directors regarding President Trump’s Remarks
2017
ASA Board of Directors Statement on Patrice Nganang
ASA Board of Directors Statement on Academic Freedom and Stella Nyanzi
ASA Statement on the Proposed Federal Budget Cuts
ASA Board of Directors Statement on the 2017 ASA Annual Meeting
ASA Board of Directors Condemns Executive Order Restricting Entry into the U.S.
2016
Statement from ASA Leadership
ASA Board of Directors Statement on Ebola