Monday, November 12, 2007
Nadia's got tenure, and is back to signing political petitions, but the discussion continues. Ralph Harrington has another good piece at History News Network: Was Nadia Abu El Haj Treated Fairly?
Worth reading in full for those following the debate. Some very good observations.
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Two days ago, the soon-to-retire (baruch ha-shem)President of Barnard College, Judith Shapiro, conducted a fundraiser in Newton. She was publicly asked about the tenure position granted to Nadia Abu El Haj. Rather than defer to the Anthropology Department's decision, she unequivocally supported the decision. But when pressed on the issue of Ms. Haj's lack of academic credentials in the field of archaeology (a subject upon which she launched her bid for tenure based on her widely trashed book, “Facts on the Ground: Archaeological Practice and Territorial Self-Fashioning in Israeli Society,” President Shapiro refused to answer the question.
Judging from Ms. Shapiro's academic background ("gender differentiation, social theory and missionization"), it's not surprising that she would unquestioningly back Ms. Haj.
A woman. An Arab woman. A Palestinian Arab woman. Ergo, an Israel hater. No contest - President Shapiro, I'm convinced, would hand over the Presidency of Barnard to her if she were able to do so. Oh yes, President Shapiro received a Brandeis education. Enough said.