Via email to: [email protected]
Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Prime Minister of Denmark
The Prime Minister’s Office
Christiansborg
Prins Jørgens Gård 11
1218 Copenhagen K
March 22, 2018
RE: Dr. Brooke Harrington
Your Excellency:
I am writing to express the deep concern of the American Sociological Association regarding the
criminal charges that have been filed by Danish authorities against Dr. Brooke Harrington, a
sociologist employed at the Copenhagen Business School. The charges against Dr. Harrington
are related to lectures she gave about her research to audiences outside of the campus where she
is employed. Similar charges have been filed against more than a dozen other foreign academics
living in Denmark. It is our understanding that these charges stem from a new interpretation of
Danish immigration law which effectively defines
any
off-campus, public, expert expression by
a non-resident professor as a violation of the terms of their work authorization. Sharing research
findings is a central responsibility of scholars and scientists. We respectfully request that you
work with the relevant authorities to revoke this new interpretation of the law and drop these
criminal charges with all appropriate urgency.
Dr. Harrington is a respected sociologist, long-term member of the American Sociological
Association, and internationally renowned expert on the social dimensions of financial markets,
tax laws, and public policy. She has been employed with distinction at the Copenhagen Business
School for more than eight years. She has received substantial grant funding for her research
activities. The American Sociological Association’s Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline
supported her work on a project titled “Reproduction of Wealth and Inequality in the US and
Europe.” The US National Science Foundation provided funding for her research on “The Impact
of Gender and Group Processes on Investment Decisions,” and the University of Michigan’s
Panel Study of Income Dynamics supported a project titled “Inheritance and Retirement
Wealth.” She is also widely published in highly respected journals in our field. In short, Dr.
Harrington’s lectures beyond the Copenhagen Business School—including one to the Danish
parliament—reflect her deep expertise as well as her professional obligation to share the results
of her research with audiences that can benefit from them.
If Dr. Harrington and the other individuals similarly charged are convicted of violating Danish
immigration law, they will not only face stiff fines, they will have criminal records that will