Perhaps no set of issues on the university campus is more openly contested, or generates more tension, than the meaning of Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It represents a battle of “narratives” as much as a physical struggle, and it plays a central role in the larger debates over “identity politics” that are now raging across many campuses. In this course, we will examine the claims and counter-claims in this conflict and get acquainted with the major sources and players on each side. We will learn how to respond to the many allegations made on campus against Israel and will reflect on the relationship between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. This course will focus particularly on the impact of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS), as well as President Trump’s recent executive order aiming to combat campus anti-Semitism in a new way.
Dr. Andrew Pessin
Andrew Pessin is Professor of Philosophy at Connecticut College and Campus Bureau Editor of The Algemeiner. In addition to his academic work, he has authored several philosophy books for the general reader and two novels, including, most recently, The Irrationalist, an historical murder mystery based on the tragic life and mysterious death of the famous philosopher René Descartes. His co-edited book, Anti-Zionism on Campus: The University, Free Speech, and BDS, was published in 2018 by Indiana University Press. More information about him and his work may be found at www.andrewpessin.com.
