PEN America is confronting a wave of author and translator withdrawals from its 2024 literary awards. The turmoil arises from the organisation’s perceived failure to adequately support Palestinian writers, with a statement from PEN America saying, “The executive committee of the board of PEN America, therefore, has now charged a working group of authors and scholars to review PEN’s work— not just over the last six months, but indeed, going back a decade, to ensure we are aligned with our mission, and to make recommendations about how we respond to future conflicts.”

Widespread withdrawals prompt organisational review

The recent backlash includes high-profile withdrawals from the PEN/Jean Stein book award, where nine out of ten longlistees have removed their nominations, including noted authors Christina Sharpe, Catherine Lacey, and Joseph Earl Thomas. This prestigious award carries a monetary value of $75,000.

Adding to the controversy, 21 authors who withdrew from the awards, alongside nine additional signatories, have demanded the resignation of key figures within PEN America, including CEO Suzanne Nossel and President Jennifer Finney Boylan, through a letter issued on Tuesday (April 17).

Read: Over 500 writers urge PEN America to ‘take a stand’ for Palestine

The letter sharply criticises PEN America’s lack of action compared to other international branches, stating, “English PEN, in tandem with Irish PEN and Wales PEN Cymru, have been vocally critical of the UK government’s uncritical support for Israel…PEN America, by contrast, has had no criticism of American complicity in the bombardment of Gaza.” PEN America was condemned for not joining the call for a ceasefire until March 20th, which many protesting writers considered too late. Alejandro Varela was among the authors who said that he cannot align himself with a “human rights org that waits five months to call for a ceasefire in Gaza”.

Maya Binyam, who withdrew her debut novel from consideration, expressed her disappointment on X, stating that the leadership “should be ashamed that their failures have forced these decisions on to authors whose work deserves to be celebrated.”

This wave of protests is not isolated to the literary awards but also extends to PEN America’s other significant events. Earlier, writers such as Naomi Klein and Hisham Matar withdrew from the World Voices festival, citing the organisation’s insufficient response to the ongoing conflict and its implications for free speech.

PEN America President advocates for dialogue and reflection

In her statement on April 18, Boylan acknowledged the deep divisions and the challenging discussions within PEN America, reiterating the need for dialogue over silence. “It is conversation between writers from different cultures—not silence—that can constitute the first fragile step toward understanding,” Boylan remarked, reflecting on her interactions with writers and human rights advocates in Israel and Palestine.

She stated that the group will consist of individuals from inside and outside of PEN America including that of PEN International, adding that she hopes will form the basis of a “clearer, better understood approach to our work on free expression in conflict that is consistent and true to PEN America and the writers whom we represent”.

Boylan also commented on the internal critique as an opportunity for growth, noting the formation of a working group to revisit and potentially reshape PEN America’s stance and actions concerning freedom of expression and conflict.