Harvard reverses course, will offer former HRW chief a fellowship

Kenneth Roth, the former executive director of Human Rights Watch, says 'broad disapproval' pushed the Harvard Kennedy School's dean to reverse initial decision to block his fellowship [File: Carlo Allegri/Reuters]

Harvard University has reversed course and will extend a fellowship to Kenneth Roth, the former head of Human Rights Watch (HRW), after the US academic institution faced a barrage of criticism for blocking the offer.

The Nation news magazine reported earlier this month that the dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, which studies public policy and government, vetoed plans to offer a fellowship to Roth, who led HRW for nearly three decades.