Unearthed 2014 article shows Zohran Mamdani's early advocacy for Palestinian rights
Mamdani, now 33 and the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, co-authored the piece as an undergraduate at Bowdoin College, where he co-founded the school's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).
Published on January 10, 2014, in Bowdoin's student paper, The Bowdoin Orient, Mamdani's article strongly endorsed the American Studies Association's (ASA) decision to join the academic boycott of 'Israeli' institutions, a move aimed at pressuring 'Israel' to end its occupation of Palestinian territories.
'The American Studies Association, a group of scholars on American culture and history, recently decided to honor the call of Palestinian civil society to boycott Israeli institutions,' Mamdani wrote. 'This academic and cultural boycott aims to bring under scrutiny the actions of the Israeli government and to put pressure on Israeli institutions to end the oppressive occupation and racist policies within both Israel and occupied Palestine.'
The piece criticized 'Israeli' universities for what Mamdani described as active and passive complicity in 'Israel's' military occupation. He accused them of prioritizing soldiers in admissions, discriminating against Palestinian students, developing remote-controlled bulldozers for home demolitions, and conducting research for the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), with some institutions operating from illegal settlements built on occupied land.
Mamdani rejected claims that the boycott stifled free speech, arguing instead that it had sparked wider debate about 'Israeli' human rights abuses. He specifically challenged then-Bowdoin College President Barry Mills, who opposed the boycott, accusing him of ignoring Palestinian suffering:
'Mills regrettably makes no mention of Palestinians or Palestine… When Mills speaks of the 'free exchange of knowledge, ideas, and research,' he does so while privileging partnerships with Israeli institutions over basic freedoms for Palestinians, including the rights to food, water, shelter and education.'
The mayoral nominee praised Bowdoin professors who supported the ASA resolution and urged students and faculty to sign a pro-boycott petition.
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