Moonlighting: Non-Specialists in the News

Clark University Reschedules Controversial Speaker [on Norman Finkelstein]

Associated Press
April 25, 2009

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2009_04_25_Clark_University_reschedules_controversial_speaker/srvc=home&position=recent

http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/7336

The president of Clark University has rescheduled an appearance by a controversial speaker whose talk he canceled two weeks ago.

President John Bassett acknowledged "the process could have been better" when he nixed an appearance by Norman Finkelstein.

Finkelstein, the son of Holocaust survivors, believes some Jews exploit the Holocaust to stifle criticism and justify Israeli actions in the Palestinian conflict.

Bassett canceled Finkelstein's talk, scheduled for Thursday, because it came the same week as a Holocaust and genocide studies conference at the school.

The Students for Palestinian Rights complained the decision violated academic freedom and circulated a petition.

The group rescheduled Finkelstein's talk for Monday, after the conference, and Bassett agreed.

Finkelstein said he should have consulted the student group before announcing his decision to cancel the talk.

Note: Articles listed under "Moonlighting: Non-Specialists in the News" provide information on current developments concerning Middle East studies on North American campuses. These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of Campus Watch and do not necessarily correspond to Campus Watch's critique.

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