We, as colleagues and students at the University of Amsterdam, condemn the repressive and violent responses that our colleagues and fellow students at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul have been confronted with during legitimate requests for their university’s autonomy. In line with previous calls made by international academia (please also sign the transnational petition at: https://tinyurl.com/y4hkudmq), we call upon Professor Bulu to decline the position and we call upon the Turkish government to release any students still in custody, withdraw all charges, and respect academic freedom and university autonomy. We fully support the following statement of the Boğaziçi University’s faculty as delivered on January 3 2021:

On January 1, 2021 at midnight, an academic outside Bogazici University community was appointed as rector, which is a practice introduced for the first time after the 1980s military tutelage.

This is yet another case of many ongoing anti-democratic practices since 2016, aiming at abolishing rectorial elections. We do not accept it as it clearly violates academic freedom and scientific autonomy as well as the democratic values of our university. We refuse to compromise the principles the University Senate officially stated in 2012:

1. To enhance scientific research and social development, it is indispensable that universities be free from any pressure or influence from a person or an institution and not be used as a political tool.

2. For academic freedom, it is imperative that decision-making processes be delegated to democratically elected academic administrators and boards. All academic administrators including the Rector, Deans, Directors of Institute, Directors of Schools and Department Heads can be appointed only after being elected by the university community.

3. As universities are autonomous constitutional establishments, it is vital that university instructors and/or university boards decide on academic programs and research policies, which is an essential prerequisite for scientific freedom and creativity.

We strictly adhere to the principles above and we pledge to follow them up with all the other members of our university community.


Moritz Föllmer, Associate Professor of Modern History, Faculty of Humanities
Hans Wallage, Faculty of Humanities
David de Boer, Postdoctoral researcher, Faculty of Humanities
Marco Pasi, Associate Professor, Faculty of Humanities
Ayşenur Korkmaz, PhD Researcher, Faculty of Humanities
dr. Matthijs Lok, University of Amsterdam
Elon Heijmans, lecturer Ancient History/ACASA
Enno Maessen, lecturer, faculty of the humanities
dr. Jonneke Bekkenkamp, Religious Studies
Josip Kesic, PhD Candidate, University of Amsterdam
Vsevolod Kritskiy, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Humanities
Stefan Salomon, Assistant Professor, European Studies Department
Joep Leerssen, Professor of Modern European Literature, Fac. Humanities
Nermin Elsherif, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Humanities
Bart Verheijen, Postdoctoral researcher, Faculty of Humanities
Geraldine Lamadrid, PhD Researcher, Faculty of Humanities
Christian Noack, Associate Professor in East European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Tim van Gerven, lecturer, Faculty of Humanities
Michael Kemper, Professor of Eastern European Studies, Fac. Humanities
Arend Elias Oostindier, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Humanities
Uğur Üngör, Professor, UvA
Paul van Dijk, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Humanities
Christien Klaufus, senior lecturer, Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation, UvA
Hanna L. Muehlenhoff, Ass Prof European Studies, Humanities
Dr. Sara Crombach, Faculty of Humanities University of Amsterdam
Kim Simonsen, Visiting Scholar, PhD Faculty of Humanities.
Alexander Collin, PhD Candidate in History, Faculty of Humanities
Chiara De Cesari, Associate professor, Amsterdam University
Martijn Icks, Lecturer in Ancient History
Houssine Alloul, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Humanities
Guido Snel, senior lecturer European Studies
Christa-Maria Lerm Hayes, Prof. Modern and Contemporary Art History
Rijk Vegard van Beek, Student Assessor of the Executive Board
Ugur Aytac, PhD candidate, Political Science
Asli Ozgen Tuncer, Lecturer, Faculty of Humanities
Tarja Laine, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Humanities
Sruti Bala, Associate Professor Theatre Studies
Marleen Rensen, University of Amsterdam
Fred Weerman, hoogleraar Nederlandse taalkunde
Paul Koopman, coordinator ARTES
Esther Peeren, Professor of Cultural Analysis, Faculty of Humanities
Petra Brouwer, Assistant Professor, Art History
René Boomkens, Professor of Cultural Theory and History, Faculty of Humanities
George Blaustein, senior lecturer American Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Ahmed Nuri, PhD Candidate, ARTES, Faculty of Humanities
Eleá de la Porte, Lecturer, Faculty of the Humanities
Sabine Waasdorp, PhD Researcher, Faculty of Humanities
Marjet Brolsma, Lecturer, Faculty of Humanities
Julienne Weegels, Assistant Professor of Latin American Studies, CEDLA-ARTES
Lelia Tavakoli Farsooni, PhD Researcher, Faculty of Humanities
Nathan van Kleijn, PhD Candidate and Lecturer, Faculty of Humanities
Pola Cebulak, Assistant Professor in European Law, Faculty of Humanities
Marion Kuijper, Faculty of Humanities
Mats Licht, Jewish Studies, Fac. of Humanities
George Bandy, European Competition Law, Faculty of Law
Barbara Hogenboom, Professor of Latin American Studies, CEDLA-Fac. of Humanities
Annet Dekker, Assistant Professor Archival and Information Studies
Thomas von der Dunk, University of Amsterdam
Rosanne Baars, Lecturer in History, Faculty of Humanities
Machiel Keestra, Assistant professor in philosophy & Diversity officer, Faculty of Science
Mirjam Hoijtink, Ass. Prof. University of Amsterdam
Elisabetta Materassi, Italian Language Lecturer, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Humanities
Zoé Elkær Nicot, student, European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Marij Swinkels, assistant professor, faculty of law economics and governance, Utrecht University
Robin de Bruin, Historian at the Department of European Studies
Jantine van Gogh, ASCA
Jans Henke, PhD candidate, Faculty of Science
Karin Hügel, PhD candidate, ASH, Faculty of Humanities
Torsten Jochem, Associate Professor of Finance, Faculty of Economics and Business
Rob van de Laarse, Prof. Heritage and Memory of War and Conflict, Faculty of Humanities
Zoé Elkær Nicot, student, European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Nanne van Noord, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Humanities
Agathe Cherbit-Langer, researcher/educator on social safety, Chief Diversity Officer Team
Carole Ammann, postdoc, Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research
Asli Akdeniz, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Economics and Business
Hande Sungur, Lecturer, University of Amsterdam
James Elsey, postdoctoral researcher, University of Amsterdam
Sneha Gaddam, Lecturer, Amsterdam School of Economics
Mira Burmeister-Rudolph, PhD Candidate, University of Amsterdam
Terrence Jorgensen, Assistant Professor, University of Amsterdam
Anna Wallis, Junior Lecturer, Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences
Kesia Olsen, MA student, European Studies
Celine Waeytens, BA student, European Studies, faculty of humanities
Hannah Kröner, BA student, European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Renata Rîmbu, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Luiza Bialasiewicz, Professor of European Governance, Faculty of Humanities
Arthur Schram, professor of Experimental Economics
Joep Sonnemans, professor of Behavioral Economics, Amsterdam School of Economics
Matthijs van Veelen, Professor of Evolution and Behaviour, Faculty of Business and Economics
Robert Cloutier, Lecturer, University of Amsterdam
Aljaž Ule, assistant professor, Faculty of Economics and Business
Peter Scholts HR-advisor, Faculty of Science
Katharina Brütt, PhD candidate, Faculty of Economics and Business
Sander Onderstal, Professor of Strategy & Markets, Faculty of Economics & Business
Meke Goedhart, MA student, European Studies, faculty of humanities
William Thomas Worster, PhD candidate, Faculty of Law
Josephine Koopman, MA student, Heritage and Memory Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Ruben Wiltgen Georgi, BA student, European Studies, UvA, Faculty of Humanities
Shaul Shalvi, Professor of Behavioral Ethics, Amsterdam School of Economics
Margarita Leib, PhD candidate, Faculty of Economics and Business
Annie de Jong, lecturer, Faculty of Humanities
Davide Pace, PhD candidate, Amsterdam School of Economics
Faculty Student Council of the Faculty of Humanities, UvA (FSR FGw)
Leandra Porcher, BS student European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Joël van der Weele, Associate Professor, Amsterdam School of Economics
Emanuele Sessa, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Zazie van Dorp, BA student Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities
Davide Pace, PhD candidate, Faculty of Economics and Business
Dianna Amasino, Postdoc, Faculty of Economics and Business
Alexandra Kovalcikova, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Ailko van der Veen, lecturer, Faculty of Economics and Business
Ornella Rodríguez Lafuente,  BA Student, European Studies, Faculty of humanities
Andreas Ziegler PhD candidate, Faculty of Economics and Business
Jan Hausfeld, Assistant Proferssor, Faculty of Economics and Business
Femke ten Bloemendal, Humanities' International office, UvA
Gerhard Stoel, lecturer, faculty of social sciences, UvA
David Batelaan, BA History student, Faculty of Humanities
Robin Hillebrand, BA student European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Suzanne Aalberse assistant professor humanities
Mehmet Akif Yıldız, PhD candidate, Faculty of Science
Paul Raekstad, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Ileana Grama, Lecturer, Humanities
Pim van Heesewijk, alumnus from the University of Amsterdam and Leiden University
Enzo Rossi, Associate Professor of Political Science
Carlijn Roovers, alumnus, faculty of humanities
Ana Miškovska Kajevska, affiliated researcher, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Eric Schliesser, Professor, political science
Clemens Grelck, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science
Jantsje Mol, Postdoctoral researcher, Amsterdam School of Economics
Theo Offerman, Professor, Faculty of Economics and Business
Frederique de Ridder, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities, UvA
Tina Bastajian, Lecturer, Facultiy of Humanities (AUC)
Sarp Karslıoğlu, MA student European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Lia van Gemert, Em.Prof Dutch literature before 1800, Faculty of Humanities
Jeroen van de Ven, Associate Professor, Amsterdam School of Economics,
Ada Örken, Ms Student, IIS
Jennifer Fielder, MSc student, Faculty of Science
Agnes van Diepen, information specialist, University Library
Charles O'Malley, Researcher, UvA; Doctoral Candidate, Yale University
Konstantinos Ioannidis, PhD Candidate, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Deniz Arda Akdeniz BA Student English Language and Culture, Faculty of Humanities
Felicia Lång, BA student European Studies, Faculty of Humanities, UvA
Nisa Ceylan, BA Student Media and Culture, Faculty of Humanities
Pamir Aydoğdu, student, psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Tamar Eliëns, BA Cognition, Language and Communication, Faculty of Humanities
Nikita Starrenburg, European Studies BA student, Faculty of Humanities
Mariline Christelle van Es, BA student Media and Information, Faculty of Humanities
Teske Wortman, BA student Media and Culture, Faculty of Humanities
Dilhan Schrörs, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Liesje Verhave, BA student Literary and Cultural, Faculty of Humanities
Nevcan Altuğ, MSc student, Political Science
Gideon van Luyn, MA student Education and Communication, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Anouk Gielen, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Joran van Kemenade, Public Administration, Leiden University
Ipek Usman, BA Student Media and Culture, Faculty of Humanities, UVA
Vicente Alves, MA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Thomas Gerritsen, student English language and Culture, Hunanities
Elif Deniz, BA student English Language & Culture, Faculty of Humanities
Laura Gelsema, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Hande Genç, BA Media and Information, Faculty of Humanities
Lizzie Fordham, BA Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities
Barbora Bachanová, BA Media and Information, Faculty of Humanities
Ece Yağmur Cevizci, BSc student Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics, Faculty of Law  
Hester van Royen, MA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Nina IJdens, MA Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities
Jacomijn van Rossem, PPLE
Ioana Constantinescu, PPLE student
Charlotte Matzdorf, LA&S
Safira Boeder, BA History, Faculty of Humanities
Eliza Khodabux, BA Philosophy
Simone Bisscheroux, Student Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics, Faculty of Law
Frederique de Ridder, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities, UvA
Kristyna Dolezalova, MA International Dramaturgy, Faculty of Humanities, UvA
Nazlı Altınay, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Michiel Zwart, MA European Studies
Mira Schwab, PPLE student, Faculty of Law
Evin Sertara Kurt, PPLE
Gerard Wiegers, Professor of Religion
Rebecca Bricchi, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Lauriane Borsaline Rotté, European Studies
Eva van Doorn, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Yoanna Mihaylova, BA European studies, Faculty of Humanities
Lisa Hannema, BA European Studies student, Faculty of Humanities
Semiha Sözeri, PhD Researcher, Department of Child Development & Education
Esther Philips-Sweet, BA Religious Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Carola Marsella, BA student, Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Business.
Mickie Rijnsburger, student MA Public History, faculty of humanities.
Taco Walstra, lecturer, Faculty of Science
Valentina Plastić, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Andrea Chirinos Martinez, BA student PPLE, Faculties of Economics and Business, Social and Behavioural Sciences and Law
Björn Horbank, Student BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Julia Sadlej, BA European Studies student
Danee van den Heuvel, BA student European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Helene Hillmann, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Sandra Hagelin, MA East European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Stella Kummer, BA student Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities
Lauriane Borsaline Rotté, European Studies
Ivy Kockelkorn, BAPhilosophy, Faculty of Humanities
Julius van der Meer, MA East European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Ksenia Prokhorova, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Marina Godovalova, MA Film Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Lena Adel, MSc student, IIS
Ida Zuidema, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Ahmet Akgündüz, PhD, Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies (IMES)
Caroline Roset, Arabic language and culture, Faculty of Humanities
Ayodele-Oja Olasubomi Ayoola, student, BA Media Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Rena Eliz Hänel, student, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Sara Gestrin, BA european studies, faculty of humanities
Leon Theelen, MA student, Mediterranean Archaeology, UvA, Faculty of Humanities
Samuel Sámel, BA European Studies student, Faculty of Humanities
Dylan Scholte, BA Musicology, Faculty of Humanities
Ruben Ursem, Spanish and Latin American Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Jante van der Naaten, BA student Art History, Faculty of Humanities
Margot Schmidt, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Linh Vu, PhD candidate, Amsterdam School of Economics
Hannah van Gelderen, BA archaeology student, Faculty of Humanities
Donya Alinejad, Lecturer, Media Studies, Humanities Faculty
Marija Sniečkutė, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Humanities
Elise Kruger, BA History, Humanities
Annette Freyberg-Inan, Professor, Political Science
Noa Duijsens, BA Geschiedenis student, Faculty of Humanities
Anouk Post, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Arianne Zajac, BA European Studies, Faculty of the Humanities
Aimee van den Kommer, Communications dep, Faculty of Humanities
Arjan Nuijten, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Humanities
Amber Pot, European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Janneke Schoo, Secretary to the Examinations Board, Faculty of Humanities
Karen Splint, European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Irina Ionita, European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Dominique Wiedeman, MA Communication and Information Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Ella Bailey, European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Sterre Schrijver, student Political Science MSc Vrije Universiteit
Zeynep Ozcelik, MA Museum Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Yunus Demir, ICT Support, FNWI
Laura Ruhe, BA Classics, Faculty of Humanities/ACASA
Stefana Enache, student European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Cristina Samoilă, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Paula thijs, Postdoc Sociology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Julia Dekker, BA European Studies and BA French language and culture, Faculty of Humanities
Bram Orobio de Castro, Full Professor, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Ilkay Batan, BA Psychobiology, FNWI/FMG
Steven Termeulen, student Music Studies, Faculty of humanities
Ezel Ergenekon, BA Media Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Elif Yüksel, BA Psychology student, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Inès Katz, student of Political Science, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Yolanda Rodríguez Pérez, Associate Professor European Studies
Jan Rath, Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, FMG
Floor van Rooij, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Studies
Piet Gerbrandy, Assistant Professor of Classics
Senem Oylum, BS Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Business
Dilan Ata, LLM,  Faculty of Law
Hyunsuh Kim, BS Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Sam van Outheusden, BA student linguistics, faculty of humanities
Anouk Post, BA European Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Maurine Carmona Galicia-van Mourik, Admissions Officer, Amsterdam Graduate School of Law
Kolya Schmidt, Political Science BA, Faculty of Social and  Behavioural Sciences
Silvia Ottinetti, LLM, Amsterdam Law School
Fien Limburg, BA Media Studies & BA Art History, Faculty of Humanities
Katinka den Nijs, Computational Science, Faculty of Science
Derin Erk, Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Matthias Talens, MSc Mathematics
Tina de Ronde, BA Psychology student, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Ozan Tekin, PhD Student, Faculty of Humanities, ARTES
Iason Chasouras, MA Comparative and Cultural Analysis student, Faculty of Humanities
Lara Trautwein, BA English Language & Culture, UvA Faculty of Humanities
Daan Jellema, member of the Faculty Student Council, Faculty of Science
Ayodele-Oja Olasubomi Ayoola, student, BA Media Studies, Faculty of Humanities
Sarah Bracke, Professor of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Evelyn Ersanilli, Senior Researcher, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Melda Kanatlarli, Communication science, UvA
S. Manavoglu, MA alumnus Political Sciences UvA


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