In her forthcoming book, The Cartoons That Shook the World, Brandeis University professor of comparative politics Dr. Jytte Klausen examines the impact of 12 controversial caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad originally published in Denmark in 2005. The cartoons sparked significant protests as well as violent reactions, which led to approximately 200 deaths.
Last week, the New York Times broke the story that Klausen had been advised by her publisher, Yale University Press, that the 12 Danish drawings would not appear in the book. Other images of Muhammad have also been removed.
“The (Yale University) Press hopes that her excellent scholarly treatment of the Danish cartoon controversy will be read by those seeking deeper understanding of its causes and consequences,” read a statement by Yale University Press provided to Diverse by Tom Conroy, deputy director of public affairs for Yale University.
“After careful consideration, the Press has declined to reproduce the Sept. 30, 2005 Jyllands-Posten newspaper page that included the cartoons as well as other depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.
“Republication of the cartoons—not just the original printing of them in Denmark—has repeatedly resulted in violence around the world.”
Yale University Press consulted two dozen authorities, including diplomats and experts on Islam, and asserts all recommended the images be removed. Dr. Cary Nelson, president of the American Association of University Professors, who issued a statement denouncing the decision to remove the images, disputes that. He said he received an e-mail from one of the consultants, an authority on Islamic art, who urged the illustrations be published.
“Over a period of centuries, Muslim artists have depicted Muhammad in a variety of ways,” Nelson said. “It’s not as if the history of Muslim art precludes depictions of Muhammad. So Yale’s position answers the most conservative minority of Muslims, which would say it is an affront to attempt to depict Muhammad at all.”
