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JNE Chair David Mednicoff Discusses Polarization of Israel-Hamas War on College Campuses for The Conversation

November 6, 2023 Academics

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Students at UMass Amherst march across campus following a walkout and rally protesting the university’s “ties with war profiteers,” while also calling for “a ceasefire and end of the blockade on Gaza.” Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
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David Mednicoff headshot

Scholar and chair of the Department of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies David Mednicoff recently wrote an article for The Conversation discussing the polarization and unrest colleges and universities have seen since the Israel-Hamas war began with the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023. 

He spoke with The Conversation’s senior politics and democracy editor, Naomi Schalit, about how he and his colleagues and university leadership have tried to deal – as an educational institution and a community – with a highly charged situation on campus in which there is pain, anger and anguish on both sides.

In the article, Mednicoff says he aims to contribute to an approach he believes central for his community: respectful discussion, listening and seeking understanding, and the chance for open minds and hearts in the middle of conflict.

Continue reading.

Article posted in Academics for Public

Related programs

  • Judaic Studies

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  • Judaic and Near Eastern Studies

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