The Executive Committee of the Canadian Association of Social Science Anthropology (CASCA) shares the concerns of many other associations in the field, including the German Association of Social and Cultural Anthropology (DGSKA), the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA), the American Anthropological Association (AAA), and the Australian Anthropological Society (AAS), regarding the letter of dismissal recently sent to anthropologist Ghassan Hage by the president of the Max Planck Society. We are particularly concerned about:

• 1) The fact that Professor Hage was officially dismissed because of his public statements regarding Israel and Palestine. The letter implies that his statements were anti-Semitic or racist, without providing any evidence to support this accusation. We wonder whether this accusation was linked to the definition of antisemitism proposed by the International Alliance for Holocaust Remembrance (IAHR), adopted by Germany in 2017. CASCA has opposed this definition and the IHRA’s guidelines. In a resolution adopted in June 2022, CASCA resolved that it “opposes the adoption and implementation, in their current form, by governments, public bodies, and academic associations in Canada, of the eleven examples of the definition of antisemitism listed by the International Alliance for Holocaust Remembrance” (https://cascacultureblog.wordpress.com/2022/04/05/resolution-concerning-the-ihra-guidelines-on-antisemitism-resolution-concernant-la-definition-de-lantisemitisme-de-laimh/). Although this statement is directed more specifically at Canadian institutions and organizations, it explains why we are concerned about any measures resulting from this definition and why we oppose them.

• 2) the fact that this case illustrates the constant erosion and challenge to academic freedom in many areas. Professor Hage has been studying the relationship between nationalism, religion, race, and ethnicity for decades and draws on his expertise to draw conclusions about these issues—both historical and contemporary—which is standard practice in anthropology. It is also customary not only to address academic circles but also to participate in public debate. Academic institutions must be spaces for both academic and public debate.