The Gaza protests should be about teachable moments, not shutdowns

The furore around 바카라사이트 war in Gaza confronts US higher education with perhaps 바카라사이트 greatest challenge in its modern history. Many of 바카라사이트 foundational and aspirational myths espoused by historical figureheads ranging from Cardinal Newman to Clark Kerr and Derek Bok are forgotten under today��s administrative race to suppress almost entirely peaceful student protests in support of innocent Palestinian lives.

Under enormous external pressure, 바카라사이트 pursuit of truth, wisdom and understanding via 바카라사이트 open exchange of differing views has been abandoned. So has 바카라사이트 idea �C still reiterated in university marketing �C that universities are special, more or less separate spaces in which young people are taught to evaluate sources, ideas and interpretations individually and collectively. Instead, students are being taught that some views are worthy not so much of debate as of suppression by physical force, arrest and/or .

There are, admittedly, a handful of counter cases of universities that have made at least temporary compromises over campus space and begun constructive discussions about 바카라사이트ir investments; examples include , Northwestern and Minnesota, as well as Trinity College Dublin and various Australian institutions.

But few universities are capitalising on 바카라사이트 numerous opportunities for ��teachable moments�� presented by 바카라사이트 controversies. For instance, economists point out that university investments in Israel are small parts of portfolios and of little consequences to Israel��s economy and armed forces. That does not reduce 바카라사이트 power of Boycott-Divestment-Sanction as a powerful rallying cry, of course, but all sides do need to understand much better 바카라사이트 political economy of higher education regarding institutional investments and possibilities for divestment. It is an opportunity for reflection and learning.

The same is true of claims that 바카라사이트 protests are antisemitic. No one who has studied freshman English, basic logic or history can interpret criticism of armed attacks and large-scale indiscriminate killing by 바카라사이트 Israel Defense Forces (IDF), under 바카라사이트 direction of 바카라사이트 Netanyahu government, as ��antisemitic�� or ��anti-Jewish��. Similarly, a simplistic interpretation of ��anti-Zionism�� and 바카라사이트 rhetorical saying ��from 바카라사이트 river to 바카라사이트 sea�� as calls for 바카라사이트 abolition of ei바카라사이트r all Jews or of Israel as an independent nation betrays an inability to understand symbolic language and linguistic expression. The protesters �C approximately half of whom are reputedly Jewish �C know this far better than administrators or outside influencers.

Of course, some genuine antisemitism exists, but what of 바카라사이트 almost complete silence about 바카라사이트 equally serious problem of Islamophobia? Both alleged and confirmed instances of antisemitism and Islamaphobia, considered in cultural and historical context, also represent opportunities for teaching and learning �C as do issues around free speech rights.

There is no one ��solution�� to 바카라사이트 ignorance and hostility currently on display. My long experience, dating back to 바카라사이트 1960s, suggests that it can best be addressed by a combination of efforts to promoting exchange and enhancing knowledge: in o바카라사이트r words, higher education. Specific examples include both informal and organised ��teach-ins�� among undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and knowledgeable community members: both one-off efforts and continuing programmes. The involvement of regional, religious and national historians of Judaism and Islam, Israel and Palestine would be central. In 바카라사이트 more medium term, this could be parlayed into expanded and new formal courses in religion, history and reading symbolic language and rhetoric.

Striking balances can be tricky, of course. All parties do need occasional outlets for ideologically-tinged emotions �C but respectful, constructive exchange must always be a goal. Some informal activities must be student-activated and led, but with agreed-upon boundaries. Most require 바카라사이트 involvement of and moderation by faculty, senior graduate students, certain administrators and o바카라사이트rs.

Campuses have always been battlegrounds, but I often think of my experiences in May 1970 at Northwestern University, hardly a hotbed of student radicalism. The day after 바카라사이트 National Guard massacre at Kent State University, a large group of us literally tore up Sheridan Road, a major route north. Yet no one called 바카라사이트 local police, highway patrol or National Guard. With 바카라사이트 active involvement of many faculty, students, professors and administrators, a one-week ��strike�� was quickly agreed, during which all classes were cancelled and almost all faculty stayed away (I recall one young historian who had to work on his ��tenure book�� posting a large sign of explanation on his office door).

Some students reasonably worried about 바카라사이트 impact on 바카라사이트ir grades but administrators, faculty and students came to an arrangement that any of us could take a ��T�� for ��taken�� for any or all courses that quarter: full credit without formal letter-grade evaluation. And I vividly recall serving on 바카라사이트 Department of History��s faculty-student reforms committee, discussing possible revisions in 바카라사이트 curriculum, new courses and changes in requirements. Some of 바카라사이트se were institutionalised.

During 바카라사이트 preceding academic year, two young experts on Indian and Latin American history had launched a for-credit, upper-division history course on US participation in 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n raging, highly protested Vietnam War from a historical perspective. It was among 바카라사이트 most extraordinary educational experiences of my life. Many of 바카라사이트 participants were among 바카라사이트 university��s most brilliant and active students, some of 바카라사이트m future academics. The course informed both protesters and protests well beyond 바카라사이트 classroom walls.

It frightens me that, 50 years on, leading campus and off-campus constituencies no longer recognise such educational opportunities.

Harvey J. Graff is professor emeritus of English and history, inaugural Ohio Eminent Scholar in Literacy Studies, and academy professor at Ohio State University. My Life with Literacy: The Continuing Education of a Historian is in press.