The Conflict over the Conflict chronicles one of the most divisive and toxic issues on today's college and university campuses: Israel/Palestine.

Some pro-Palestinian students call supporters of Israel's right to exist racist, and disrupt their events. Some pro-Israel students label pro-Palestinian students terrorists, and the Jews among them traitors. Lawsuits are filed. Legislation is proposed. Faculty members are blacklisted and receive death threats. Academic freedom is compromised and the entire academic enterprise is threatened. How did we get here and what can be done?

In this passionate book, Kenneth S. Stern examines attempts from each side to censor the other at a time when some say students, rather than being challenged to wrestle with difficult issues and ideas, are being quarantined from them. He uniquely frames the examination: our ability to think rationally is inhibited when our identity is fiercely connected to an issue of perceived social justice or injustice, and our proclivity to see in-groups and out-groups - us versus them - is obvious. According to Stern, the campus is the best place to mine this conflict and our intense views about it to help future generations do what they are supposed to do: think. The Conflict over the Conflict shows how this is possible.

About the Author
Kenneth S. Stern is the director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate and an attorney and award-winning author. For twenty-five years he was the American Jewish Committee's expert on antisemitism, and he was also the lead drafter of the "Working Definition of Antisemitism." He has argued before the Supreme Court of the United States and testified before Congress, and he is a frequent guest on television and radio. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and The Forward. Nadine Strossen is a professor at New York Law School, past President of the American Civil Liberties Union, and a leading expert on constitutional law and civil liberties. Her acclaimed 2018 book, HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship was selected by Washington University as its 2019 "Common Read."

Reviews

"In a smart, personal, and engaging book, Kenneth S. Stern, director of Bard College's Bard Center for the Study of Hate, takes us on a tour of today's American campus Israel/Palestine debates in the context of a full-throated argument for free speech."

-- Mira Sucharov * Canadian Jewish Record *

"The Conflict over the Conflict is a calm, controversial analysis of 'the tendency of people who define themselves as part of a group to depersonalize others.' Stern pulls no punches. His work is thoughtful and provocative."

-- Holly Doan * Blacklock's Reporter *

"The Conflict over the Conflict: The Israel/Palestine Campus Debate, by Kenneth S. Stern, may be the most comprehensive assessment of the (at least) 20-year battle on North American campuses between pro-Israel and anti-Israel forces."

-- Pat Johnson * The Jewish Independent *

"A useful reminder that faculty would do well to model the respect for and effort to understand conflicting points of view that we often encourage in our students."

-- Ernst Benjamin * Academe *

"Ken Stern deftly navigates challenging waters on this deeply contentious topic, one where even a topic as simple as adherence to the truth over lies is debatable."

-- Alec R. Ewig * The Times of Israel *

"Anyone interested in the history of the BDS controversy would benefit from reading Stern's book. There is no better road map to the twists and turns of the debate in recent years, in a book that is in equal parts a history and a memoir."

-- Peter Eisenstadt * Israel Horizons *

"College students, parents, anyone concerned about the Israel/Palestine campus debate, and anyone wondering about the IHRA definition of antisemitism owe it to themselves to read The Conflict over the Conflict."

-- Steve Sheffey * The Times of Israel *

"Stern's book provides a roadmap for campuses to safely examine controversies in order to carefully prepare students for a learning moment. Stern argues that to prepare students to challenge and debate on and off campus hate, they need to be carefully exposed to all sorts of ideas, including BDS and related issues such as antisemitism."

-- Robert Aaron Kenedy * Canadian Jewish Studies Vol. 31 *

"As an American Jewish member of academia actively involved in combating antisemitism, Stern's perspective-shared by many Jewish faculty members-is valuable in calming the passions to legislate and sanction."

-- Ari Blaff, University of Toronto * Canadian Ethnic Studies *

"Stern is an excellent writer and scholar. His book is based on extensive research-the bibliography of works cited is enormous-as well as first-hand professional experience. This is a superb piece of scholarship and liberal commentary."

-- Daniel Gordon, University of Massachusetts Amherst * Society *

"Stern's book provides a roadmap for campuses to safely examine controversies in order to carefully prepare students for a learning moment."

-- Robert Aaron Kenedy, York University * Canadian Jewish Studies *

"Kenneth Stern's important book, The Conflict over the Conflict, has a central theme that people on all sides of The Israel/Palestine Campus Debate need to open lines of communication among students, faculty, and other stakeholders. An attorney and former senior staffer at the American Jewish Committee (AJC) specializing in antisemitism, Stern has written a tough, thoughtful, and brave book."

-- Paul Finkelman, Gratz College * Justice *



Book Information
ISBN 9781487507367
Author Kenneth S. Stern
Format Hardback
Page Count 296
Imprint New Jewish Press
Publisher University of Toronto Press
Weight(grams) 580g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 163mm * 25mm