Should our cherished laws protecting free speech, tolerance, and academic freedom be subject to the whims of politics and pop culture? What are our obligations, as a self-proclaimed “progressive” society, to permit and encourage all forms of debate and discourse? Our producer Michael Ramadan Jones meets with Joseph Massad of Columbia University to discuss these very questions as they apply to our understanding of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Hosted by David Tereshchu. Part 2 of a two-part series.

This program was produced by Voices Of Our World for October 14, 2007.

For more information, visit:
voicesofourworld.org

At some the finest academic institutions in this country an intellectual battle of huge importance and passion is being waged about the nature of U.S. involvement in the Middle East and this country’s support for Israel. Today we examine the conflict behind the conflict — namely, what occurs when the forces of politics and patriotism collide with the concepts of free speech and academic freedom? Joining us to discuss these issues and more is Joseph Massad, Associate Professor of Modern Arab politics and intellectual history at Columbia University. His newest book “Desiring Arabs” is currently in bookstores and online.

Hosted by David Tereshchu. Part 1 of a two-part series.

This program was produced by Voices Of Our World for October 14, 2007.

For more information, visit:
voicesofourworld.org
www.columbia.edu/cu/mealac/faculty/massad