In June 2024, a professor's scheduled lecture on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was abruptly canceled due to community backlash in San Anselmo. The librarian informed the professor of a campaign involving harassment that raised concerns for safety, involving discussions with local officials. The cancelation highlighted the ongoing tension surrounding the topic, rooted in broader societal issues about misrepresentation and misunderstanding of the Middle East, which the author attempts to address through education.
At a subsequent town council meeting, the librarian described a campaign of harassment and intimidation that included 'increasingly aggressive emails' and 'coordinated in-person visits'.
I see teaching as a means of countering the misrepresentations that generate conflict, especially concerning the Middle East.
Collection
[
|
...
]