Rabat — The International Sociological Association (ISA) has announced the creation of a new internal network, the Queer ISA Network (QISA), designed to support queer members within the association. The launch was announced during the ISA’s Fifth Sociology Forum, which will take place from July 6 to 11 at Mohammed V University in Rabat.
The initiative, initially publicized in a now-deleted post on ISA’s official Facebook page, has sparked widespread criticism among Moroccans, many of whom argued that the move is at odds with the country’s conservative and Islamic cultural values.
The association said the QISA network “is a new initiative aimed at connecting members with diverse sexual orientations within the International Sociological Association (ISA) across research committees, generations, and In its announcement, ISA described the network as “a shared space for collaboration, mutual support, and academic inclusivity.”
Participants at the forum were invited to attend the inaugural meeting of the network on Monday. ISA did not disclose the meeting’s exact location in the public announcement, noting instead that details would be shared directly with those interested.
The launch of QISA comes shortly after another high-profile ISA decision: the suspension of the Israeli Sociological Association’s membership in response to its genocidal assault on Gaza.
In a statement issued ahead of the Rabat forum, ISA condemned “Israel’s genocide in Gaza” and called for an end to the country’s “military occupation and all colonial practices in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria.”
ISA also emphasized that it maintains no institutional ties with Israeli public bodies and reaffirmed its opposition to the ongoing violence in Gaza.
The inclusion of Israeli representatives at previous ISA events had already provoked criticism in Morocco, with a group of Moroccan sociologists boycotting the Rabat forum in protest.
In a joint statement, several Moroccan sociologists also denounced the participation of Israelis at the event, arguing that Morocco’s role as host should reflect the nation’s values and support for the Palestinian cause.
The International Sociological Association (ISA) was founded in 1949 under the auspices of UNESCO. It is a member of the International Science Council and has NGO consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
