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December 14, 2006
Attending Holocaust Denial Conference Might Be Career-Limiting
The Tehran conference has drawn widespread condemnation for its roster of infamous attendees and controversial position on the Holocaust. Certainly any academic with half a brain wouldn't be caught dead at one of Ahmedinejad's little soirees, as demonstrated by the brewing intellectual slapfight between Alan Dershowitz and Norman Finkelstein. Using evidence from a neo-nazi website, Dershowitz insinuated that his academic nemesis not only attended, but would fit right in because he "has allied himself closely with the Holocaust denial movement by trivializing the suffering of its victims and denying that many of them were victims at all." Our man Richard Silverstein summarizes the story and casts doubt on Dershowitz's conclusion by noting that a) Finkelstein's own parents narrowly escaped the Holocaust, making denial a bit difficult and b) he was testifying at a federal trial in Chicago during the conference.
The motive behind this accusation is clear: legitimate academics who attend Holocaust conferences with David Duke and his ilk may experience slight credibility loss among peers. Rather like evolutionary biologists presenting papers at a conference of Creationists, I suppose.
Case in point, a Canadian attendee is now in full damage-control mode:
In an exclusive interview from his hotel in Tehran yesterday, Dr. Dossa said that he had gladly accepted the invitation from Iran's Islamist government to attend the conference, and that he had welcomed the opportunity to criticize the Western world and its policies. But, although he is no supporter of Israel, he said he was horrified to discover that he was sharing the stage with overt anti-Semites and supporters of Adolf Hitler.
To paraphrase: I'm shocked, shocked to find that Holocaust denial is going on here!
Dr. Dossa, the lone Canadian at the event, describes himself as an anti-imperialist and an admirer of left-wing U.S. scholar Noam Chomsky. He said he was surprised that Canadians were alarmed by his presence at the conference."My essential point is that the Jewish loss -- which is, of course, a reality, and anyone who denies it is a lunatic -- the focus here is on how the Holocaust is a political construct, distinct from the Jewish loss at the hands of the Nazis. And that political construct has been used to justify certain policies by people, some of whom are Zionists. And now that whole issue plays into the war on terrorism, which is essentially a war on Islam..."
Dr. Dossa said he was alarmed to find that Holocaust deniers played such a visible role in the event...
"My stand is that Iran is trying to embarrass the West and say, 'Look, we are practising what you preach. We are allowing freedom of discussion of just about any issue, including the Holocaust.' And I agree with that."
Yesterday, the university distanced itself from Dr. Dossa's decision to attend the conference. "Dr. Dossa is attending this conference as an individual," spokesman Allan Gates said. "Dr. Dossa's views and opinions are his own. He does not speak for the university."
At first glance, his explanation seems similar to the "lachrymose theory" outlined by Silverstein (linked above), but then skids a bit sideways into crazytown. Regardless, why would one commit academic suicide by attending a conference sponsored by someone who routinely pisses on Jews to score political points at home? Dossa is very likely a pariah now, even if his research has merit.
On a related note, dubaiwalla thinks this needs a caption:
[Photo Credit: Reuters]
Posted by eerie at December 14, 2006 11:46 PM
Filed Under: Gulf
, MENA Region General
, Op-Ed
, Religious Minorities
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Comments
"Last night was wonderful."
Posted by: Klaus ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.aqoul.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at December 15, 2006 02:39 AM
It's only fair to inform you that I have started a Create Your Own Damn Caption contest using your image over at the main bulletin board to which I belong. Links will follow.
Posted by: Antiquated Tory at December 15, 2006 05:19 AM
"Is that a dreidel in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"
Posted by: Abu Dolma at December 15, 2006 05:26 AM
I don't have a caption, but I'm very amused by the juxtaposition of the ad that I'm seeing on this page:
It's not about a Date
It's about Love
Meet Jewish Singles
JLove.com
Posted by: Fernmonkey at December 15, 2006 07:51 AM
"You dare to doubt the massacre of my people? I'll bite your ear off!"
Posted by: Danu at December 15, 2006 08:08 AM
Dear e,
just one question: Is he tenured? If he is, then he isn't committing any suicide. He'll be safe in his job & academic conferences, journals, etc. won't turn him down if he wants to present or publish his scholarship.
Since he's been at Xavier U since 1988, I'd suppose he HAS tenure ...
His homepage: http://www.stfx.ca/academic/political-science/Dossa/WelcomeDossa.html
--MSK
Posted by: MSK at December 15, 2006 08:20 AM
Tenure doesn't give you a bulletproof reputation. If it did, Dossa wouldn't be trying so hard to distance himself from the conference (and Dershowitz wouldn't bother trying to insinuate that Finkelstein attended). Do you think Middlebury is going to invite him back any time soon?
His university must be a bit peeved. Imagine being virtually unknown in Canada until one of your profs goes to a Holocaust denial conference...
Posted by: eerie at December 15, 2006 11:01 AM
Oh and my caption submission:
"Ahmadinejad tries for second base"
Posted by: eerie at December 15, 2006 11:24 AM
Dear e,
I agree with "[t]enure doesn't give you a bulletproof reputation."
But for a tenured prof, attending this conference doesn't mean "academic suicide". He'll have his networks & if he's smart he can spin this trip into the "well, I didn't want to buy the MSM hype & see for myself just what exactly is going on in Iran" direction.
So Middlebury won't invite him for the next 5 years. But APSA won't turn down his next panel either. Come to think of it, everytime he DOES get turned down - a talk at a conference or a paper at a journal - he can just say "oh, you'll just do it 'cause I went to Tehran in 2006" and there are actually a lot of venues and organizations who wouldn't want to do that.
And ... there are tons of others who will now invited him BECAUSE he went to that conference.
Of course, if he is as naive as the article makes him look ... then he's gonna try to make everyone forget about this.
And yeah - Xavier's management must be livid. But hey - if he's tenured ... he can just ride it out.
--MSK
Posted by: MSK at December 15, 2006 12:16 PM
"Don't you worry about the cameras -- I'm already planning a second conference to deny the first one ever happened."
Posted by: alle at December 15, 2006 02:53 PM
I am continually disappointed as to what attracts comments on blogs, and what does not. Eerie posts two postings, the least interesting attracts comments.
No wonder the bloody world is stratified, it's filled with lazy low value cretins.
Posted by: The Lounsbury at December 15, 2006 05:20 PM
Well, to be fair, not many people find public sector budget planning interesting.
Posted by: eerie at December 15, 2006 06:37 PM
"... not many people find public sector budget planning interesting."
A good thing too, considering that was Eichmann's key trait. {And thus combining the themes of the two entries.}
Posted by: matthew hogan at December 15, 2006 08:30 PM
As you know, you blog with the commentators you have. They're not the whankers you might want or wish to have at a later time.
Posted by: Klaus at December 16, 2006 03:50 AM
the lounsbury - I am continually disappointed as to what attracts comments on blogs, and what does not. Eerie posts two postings, the least interesting attracts comments.
Stop whining, you didn't comment there either -- the least you could have done was to put this comment at the other post.* If comments from economists are dear to you, go find some more economists, or accept that political whankers and whingers are massively overrepresented among blog readers.
*) Which I read and liked, but didn't feel particularly qualified to comment on. Had there been a funny picture in need of a caption, things might have turned out otherwise.
Posted by: alle at December 16, 2006 07:43 AM
Stop whining, you didn't comment there either -- the least you could have done was to put this comment at the other post.
Nah. The internet is designed FOR whining about other people's behavior but NOT FOR personal enjoyment or humor.
Apparently you missed the memo.
Posted by: blue92 at December 16, 2006 08:39 AM
re tenure, he may have his position, but academics are a rabid pack of hyenas when it comes to slander and backstabbing. He will have immense trouble getting things published, or getting invited to important symposiums. And he will still have to deal with the university board, who in true bureaucratic fashion might make his life miserable for feeling like it.
Completely off topic, does anyone know the exact difference between a twit and a twat?
Posted by: Klaus at December 16, 2006 08:49 AM
Posted by: eerie at December 16, 2006 11:59 AM
Hmm. That looks more like just plain getting to first base, unless Ahmadi-nejad's hands were trying to wander...
Posted by: pantom at December 16, 2006 12:27 PM
