Yale University: Censorship of Mohammed Cartoons at Yale University Press
Cases
Yale University
Case Overview
Yale University censored images of Mohammed in author Jytte Klausen's book, The Cartoons That Shook the World, which discusses the controversy and violence that resulted from the publication of cartoons of Mohammed in a Danish newspaper in 2005. The book, published by the Yale University Press in fall 2009, was to contain images of the cartoons and other images of Mohammed. However, Yale University intervened in the editorial process of its Press, submitted the cartoons out of context to a group of anonymous consultants and, relying on their opinions, decided to remove the cartoons from the book. Despite much criticism of the university's decision to override academic freedom and avoid controversy, Klausen's book was published without any of the images.