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Israel studies increasingly popular in US
Yitzhak Benhorin
Published: 05.10.10, 11:25
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1. Who's doing the teaching, and what are they teaching?
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, USA   (10.05.10)
It's good that Peri attempts to provide a broad range of perspectives, but that often isn't the case. Many of these programs are funded by Jewish philanthropists who defer to the departments to create the program and fill the chairs. Then they're surprised who's giving the course and what they're teaching. That happened at Columbia and even at Brandeis. (Most Middle East departments in the US are hostile to Israel.) The U of Michigan has, for decades, run the Arab-Israeli Conflict course, which I helped teach long ago. When they recently brought in an Israeli to head the course, they brought in ... Neve Gordon from BGU. Most Humanities and Social Science departments in Israeli universities are dominated by the left, so if they bring their perspectives to the US, they're doing the students (and Israel) no favors.
2. These post-Zionists will make things worse!
Cowboy Joe ,   Calgary, Canada   (10.05.10)
3. Great. The far left, 3% of Israeli society is "mainstream"??
Jae ,   Lynn US   (10.05.10)
wtf? talk about bs. Thatt' is NOT honest... They should have either centrist speakers or else a spectrum. why do i have a feeling that these guys are often post zionist which is another word for meretz?
4. Great benefit to having Israel Studies programs
O ,   Washington DC, USA   (10.20.10)
As a current student minoring in Israel Studies, I must disagree with the claim that having these classes/departments are no help to Israel. While most of the professors are left-wing (not so much different from any subject), they at least teach the history and significance of Israel. Also, as an Arab Studies minor as well, at least now students wishing to study the Middle East have more than the option of blatant anti-Israel ideology!
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