Stop eating for Norman Finkelstein? Yesterday, “students”:http://chronicle.com/news/article/2562/student-will-begin-hunger-strike-in-support-of-depaul-professors-denied-tenure at DePaul began a hunger strike protesting “Finkelstein’s denial of tenure.”:http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/06/11/finkelstein
The Finkelstein brouhaha has set off another round in the off-tone debate about Israel in the American academy. “The far left”:http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/06/13/18427238.php claims that Finkelstein’s scholarship is impeccable—it isn’t by a long-shot. “The right”:http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/3608 claims Finkelstein is a Holocaust denier and an anti-Semite—he isn’t. The most thoughtful comments I’ve read on this case comes from historian “Peter Novick,”:http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070521/wiener whose work “The Holocaust in American Life”:http://www.amazon.com/Holocaust-American-Life-Peter-Novick/dp/0618082328 is solid reading.
DePaul had been under pressure to deny Finkelstein tenure by the odious Alan Dershowitz who also tried stopping the publication of Finkelstein’s book. The Dersh bag’s defense of Israel was the subject of a good chunk of “Beyond Chutzpah,”:http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=8920 an uneven polemic against people who are not even as left on Israel-Palestine issues as Norman Finkelstein.
I fear that Finkelstein’s critics may have inadvertently created a Frankenstein. With plans to return to New York, the martyred professor will no doubt hit the college lecture circuit, unchained from pretenses of civility and peer review and make more shrill claims about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Finkelstein seems to think that the shenanigans of the Jewish Establishment—such as crying “new Anti-Semitism”—are solely meant to distract the attention of a gullible public away from Israel’s political problems. Certainly the Jewish establishment has done its part to whitewash Israeli policies, but Finkelstein’s nasty tone and malicious claims do not elevate the debate. The Palestinians don’t deserve this sucker-punching pugilist.
Yesterday, “Alan Dershowitz claimed”:http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=28881 that Finkelstein was uncollegial. If Finkelstein is as nasty in real life as he is in print, I don’t find it surprising that members of his department and the university voted against giving him tenure; who wants to reward a sullen bully with a lifetime appointment? Nevertheless, Finkelstein occupies an important role in the debate and should be hosted somewhere. Many academics are broken people with flawed personalities. “For example…”:http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/directory/facdir.php?id=12
“DePaul had been under pressure to deny Finkelstein tenure by the odious Alan Dershowitz who also tried stopping the publication of Finkelstein’s book.”
But is Zionist pressure really why he was denied tenure?
“The Palestinians don’t deserve this s
“I don’t find it surprising that members of his department and the university voted against giving him tenure; who wants to reward a sullen bully with a lifetime appointment? Nevertheless, Finkelstein occupies an important role in the debate and should
“”””The right claims Finkelstein is a Holocaust denier and an anti-Semite—he isn’t. The most thoughtful comments I’ve read on this case comes from historian Peter Novick, whose work The Holocaust in American Life is solid reading.”””
But Novick him
I don’t know enough about his ideas to comment on them but I will say that if the things he says are factual and of sound academic principle then using political weight and intimidation as a means to supress them can only hurt.
“””using political weight”””
Is expressing opposition to Finkelstein “using political weight”? Or is it exercising free speech in America, including the freedom to criticize Norman Finkelstein?
“””and intimidation”””
Is expressing opposition to Finkels
Denying someone what may otherwise be a deserved tenure in an academic institution is what I would call “using political weight”.
I’m all for a multitude of views if for no other reason than it meaning an opportunity for me to counter them with my own
“””Denying someone what may otherwise be a deserved tenure in an academic institution is what I would call “using political weight”. “””
No, denying someone what “MAY (emphasis added) otherwise be a deserved tenure” MAY be “using political weight.” In
You are asking me to comment on specifics (his job performance etc.) that I don’t have. I’ve already said that I don’t know enough about him to comment on him as an individual. I really don’t care that much. I am commenting on an ethics issue.
All I am
“””All I am saying is that IF his curriculum is factual and of sound academic principle (meaning it is weighed against other academic thought) “””
Tenure decisions are supposed to be based primarily on research. That is normally measured by the number
OK, we’re going around in circles in part because you keep inferring meaning to things I’ve said which I did not intend and in some cases on matters for which I had already made very clear disclaimers on what SHOULD NOT be inferred. What I haven’t determi
“do you think that within academia it is ethical to hinder someones (anyones) career based SOLELY on a particular polical view they may have?”
Sure — if it’s indefensible intellectually (no moral judgments!) like a biology professor who insists on teach
“””Dr. jonathansamuel, do you think that within academia it is ethical to hinder someones (anyones) career based SOLELY on a particular polical view they may have?”””
In short, YES under most circumstances. Noam Chomsky in the 1980s spoke at a Columbia U
Holy crap, what did you get your doctorate in, Misdirection?
NOWHERE did I infer that people shouldn’t be subject to criticism, or that people shouldn’t speak openly. What the hell are you invoking first ammendment rights for? As for the other SEVEN ex
mrnhghts, I agree completely with what you said. You can see in my previous post the original stipulation I made (twice):
“IF his curriculum is factual and of sound academic principle (meaning it is weighed against other academic thought)”
Hesed,
Yes you did — sorry I missed that!
“””NOWHERE did I infer that people shouldn’t be subject to criticism, “””
Good. In that case, Norman Finkelstein should be subject to criticism, even while Finkelstein is up for tenure.
“””or that people shouldn’t speak openly.”””
Good. In that case, F
Heeb:
I was originally concerned that this new format might not attract as many assholes as before. Sorry to have ever doubted your decision to change things up. LOL
I thought Hesed was leaving.
Hey mrnhghts, what was my posting count up to before they stopped keeping track? I stopped counting at 1000 and that was like two years ago. LOL
“””do you think that within academia it is ethical to hinder someones (anyones) career based SOLELY on a particular polical view they may have?”””
“””Sure — if it’s indefensible intellectually (no moral judgments!) like a biology professor who insists
See, this is the problem with sites like this. It’s all “blah blah blah blah.” Action speak louder than words. Those who support Finkelstein should join the hungers strike, those who don’t like him, should eat extra food, perhaps even entering a compet
I am a big fan of Kobayashi, who is currently the champion competitive eater in the world. Kobyashi has recently come down with arthritis of the jaw, which he claims prevents him from opening his mouth more than an inch without pain.
My teen-aged neph
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