Berks Joins AHA Amicus Brief in Support of International Scholars

In December 2025, The Berkshire Conference of Women Historians joined the American Historical Association’s amicus brief in support of Harvard University’s lawsuit against the federal government over the university’s ability to host foreign scholars and students. The AHA, in collaboration with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), filed the brief today with the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

The brief conveys the importance of international scholars and students to American higher education, with a focus on the historical discipline, and the benefits and opportunities they bring to the United States. In support of Harvard’s case, the brief explains that using visa revocations and the like as a means to stifle political speech is a violation of the First Amendment. These actions “threaten the tremendous contributions of foreign-born historians and other foreign scholars and students.”

Describing the global historical tradition of educational exchanges, the brief emphasizes how “American colleges and universities have long welcomed and benefited from cross-border scholarly exchanges.” It examines how foreign scholars strengthen research across many disciplines and highlights how historians, including AHA members, have advanced and strengthened our discipline through their work in the United States. “Like any academic field, history depends on the robust exchange of ideas, and foreign scholars are critical participants.”

The brief is available here and for download on the AHA’s website.