Politicalization of middle eastern studies

Submitted by Dr. Mark Pinson (United States), Jun 25, 2003 at 10:32

One of the sadder stories I have heard about the politicalization of Middle Eastern studies is from a friend who told me that Bernard Lewis, unquestionably one of the doyens of Middle Eastern studies on this planet , years ago encountered such instant hostility at MESA meetings, even when presenting purely historical work with no connection with the Arab-Israeli conflict which is driving much of this, that he ceased attending them. If this is in fact so, the loss is the profession's...

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