Hundreds of Scholars to Gather in DC Calling for Academic Freedom in Mideast Studies

Dr. E. Gordon Gee to Present Keynote at 18th Annual ASMEA Conference Sharing His Perspective as a University President for 45 years

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 400 professors, scholars, students, and other experts will gather in Washington, DC, for the 18th Annual Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) Conference from November 1-3, 2025. The conference will focus on the rising trend of antisemitism on college campuses, the measures being taken to curb bias, and what additional steps can be implemented moving forward. This event occurs during a time of uncertainty but also hope, with the release of remaining living hostages and a signed ceasefire and possible peace deal in the Middle East.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. E. Gordon Gee, President Emeritus of West Virginia University (WVU). Having served as WVU president until July 14, 2025, Dr. Gee has been a prominent leader in higher education for over four decades. Besides his two terms as WVU president, he was president of Brown University, The Ohio State University (twice), the University of Colorado, and Vanderbilt University. Currently, he is currently at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University and acts as a consultant on intellectual diversity for the university. Last year, Great Value Colleges recognized Dr. Gee as the nation's top university president, and TIME Magazine previously named him one of the top 10 university presidents in the United States.

"The university landscape has dramatically changed since I first entered higher education, and even more so over the past few years," said Dr. Gee. "The time has come to have honest and sometimes difficult, but ultimately constructive, conversations around how we keep students and faculty safe while ensuring open debate."

Gee earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Utah and his law degree and doctorate from Columbia University. He is a member of the Board of Advisors at the University of Austin. He has co-authored more than a dozen books, including, most recently, "What's Public about Public Higher Education," "Leading Colleges and Universities," and "Land-Grant Universities for the Future." He has also published numerous papers and articles on law and education.

"While educators and administrators have demonstrated that they can stand up for academic freedom, they must now become equally comfortable fighting for academic responsibility," continued Dr. Gee. "Every college and university must now gather its wisest and most committed officers and ask whether its processes and procedures truly provide adequate protections, and whether the university is equipped to meet its academic responsibilities. The ASMEA Conference provides an ideal forum to discuss this critical issue and to help foster positive change."

ASMEA is a community of scholars dedicated to defending academic freedom and advancing the search for truth. It promotes discourse in these fields by offering members opportunities to publish and present ideas to the academic community and beyond. The organization supports its members through its annual conference, a peer-reviewed journal, a newsletter, and a website. ASMEA aims to be the professional association of choice for thoughtful scholars and interested members of the public.

"The addition of Dr. Gee as our keynote speaker, along with other notable talks and panels, reflects a strong and relevant agenda for this year's conference," said Dr. Asaf Romirowsky, ASMEA's executive director. "Since Hamas' attacks on October 7, 2023, college campuses both in the US and globally have experienced increased threats, sometimes violence, closure of certain courses, and faculty and students seeking guidance. At the ASMEA Conference, we aim to foster dialogue and provide practical recommendations that professors and scholars can implement to ensure safety and success at their institutions."

Other speakers at this year's conference include David Schenker, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute; Bernard Haykel, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University; Neil Rogachevsky, Assistant Professor of Humanities at the University of Florida; and Franck Salameh, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Boston College.

"I am honored to speak at the ASMEA Conference this year," said Robert Rabil, professor of political science at Florida Atlantic University. "Conversations like these are vital for universities across the US. I look forward to engaging with colleagues and students and exploring how we can make our campuses safer."

Other highlights of the ASMEA Conference include:

• Over 30 countries represented, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Niger, and the United Arab Emirates.
• The 2025 Bernard Lewis Prize reception and awards ceremony, honoring the late distinguished Princeton University Professor and co-founder of ASMEA (his co-founder was the late Professor Fouad Ajami from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies).
• Book discussion of "October 7: The Wars Over Words and Deeds" (Academic Studies Press, October 28, 2025)
• by Dr. Donna Robinson Divine, Morningstar Professor Emerita of Jewish Studies and Professor Emerita of Government at Smith College & Dr. Romirowsky.
• An antisemitism panel moderated by Gabby Deutsch, Washington correspondent for the Jewish Insider.
• Over 100 paper presentations on Africa and the Middle East.
• Film screening.
• Student Poster Competition.

The event will be held at the Washington Georgetown Marriott Hotel. To register, click this link. The registration fee is $195 for ASMEA members, $145 for students, and $350 for non-members.

About Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA)

The Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) is an academic society dedicated to promoting the highest standards of research and teaching in Middle Eastern and African studies, and related fields. It is a response to the mounting interest in these increasingly inter-related fields, and the absence of any single group addressing them in a comprehensive, multidisciplinary fashion. ASMEA aims to promote the highest standards of academic research and teaching in the fields of Middle Eastern and African studies and related disciplines through programs, publications, and services that support its members, the international community of scholars, and interested members of the public.

For more information, please visit ASMEA's website.

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Alyssa Meyer
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SOURCE Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa