Statement by the AAR Board of Directors (April 10, 2025)
The American Academy of Religion stands firmly against the growing wave of censorship and restrictions that threaten scholarly freedom in the United States. Recently, several AAR members learned that their published works were included on a list of 381 titles ordered removed from the academic library at the U.S. Naval Academy, as reported by The New York Times. Among the banned titles are seminal works in the field of religious studies. You can browse the full list and read AAR member Robert Jones' reflections on discovering his book among those banned.
In other troubling developments, members have informed us of awarded NEH grants being rescinded—some in mid-research. Additionally, we have learned of publications scheduled to be released that have been put on hold and face an uncertain future. These actions represent a serious erosion of the principles of academic freedom and the intellectual integrity of our shared scholarly enterprise.
The AAR unequivocally denounces the banning of books, the withdrawal of research funding, and the suppression of scholarly publication. These moves not only silence individual scholars but undermine the collective pursuit of knowledge that is foundational to a democratic society.
Hence, we urge you to:
• Consider purchasing copies of books by colleagues on the banned list for gifts or for donation to libraries and educational institutions.
• Request your local public and university libraries to acquire these works.
• Join us for an upcoming WebinAAR featuring conversations with AAR authors whose books have been targeted. Together, they will reflect on the personal and professional impact of these measures—and on what is at stake for academic freedom in our time.
Let us stand in solidarity, not only to defend our colleagues and our fields, but to affirm the enduring power of scholarship against all attempts to silence it.
