Fighting Sheikh Zayed's Funding of Islamic Studies at Harvard Divinity School: A Case Study

A $2.5 million endowment was made to the Harvard Divinity School by Sheikh Zayed, the dictatorial ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, for the creation of a chair of Islamic studies. Upon learning of this donation, Rachel Fish, a graduate student at the school, took the initiative to expose Sheikh Zayed's multiple abuses of human rights, including the use of child slave labor, and his indulgence in anti-Semitic propaganda. This led to the closure of the Zayed Center, the sheikh's think tank in Abu Dhabi. Fish's almost single-handed action led Harvard to suspend the funding for lengthy investigations. Ultimately, Sheikh Zayed withdrew his donation.