Re: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia on Race and Racism
I called Gale and confirmed that John H. Moore is indeed the Dr. John Hartwell Moore currently at the University of Florida. Bingo. Give that librarian a kewpie doll. Anne Jaron New York Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
Re: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia on Race and Racism
First, can I do a bit of bibliographic verification here? I frequently see the publisher of this text given as Gale in the messages on this list. However, when I followed the link to Amazon, the publisher is given as Macmillan. The Macmillan edition on Amazon is three volumes and has a publication date of 2007 (ISBN 978-0028660202). But searching Google by title I found the same item on Gale's site, but again with the Macmillan imprint but with 2008 publication date. I just want to make sure that we're talking about the same edition and suggest that identify the publisher as Macmillan (or at least Gale/Macmillan) to be consistent with the information others will see. Second, I've added my review of the Zionism article to the Amazon site. Third, has anyone found anything about John Hartwell Moore, the editor? I'm on vacation so I don't have access to my academic sources, but he doesn't show up anywhere in Google except in connection with this edition. The article's author, Noel Ignatiev, however, is a nut-job with a long history of beyond-marginal racial issues. He runs a Web site called RaceTraitor.com with the theme that all racial identity is wrong. He was fired, according to Wikipedia, from a position as a tutor at Harvard for opposing the installation of kosher toasters in a dining hall. He has published academic works on the issue of race but it looks like it's been a while and I don't see anything in the mainstream press on Israel or Zionism. This seems to be an increasingly popular tactic on the anti-Israel front. Find a genuine PhD with no credentials or marginal credentials in any of the related areas to write a pseudo-academic article superficially about Zionism. Since they don't know anything about Zionism, they skate over the facts, or make them up off the top of their heads, whatever suits their larger theme. Terms like post-Zionism meaning that the concept is obsolete are showing up more and more. The racist tag is an older and once-discredited ploy that's making a comeback in a number of creative ways. Proving that Zionism, the foundational ideology behind the creation of the modern State of Israel, is flawed is part of a strategy to attack Israel. (Similar to those who claim there was no Holocaust, or that it was exaggerated, or was a ploy to bolster the Zionist movement, if you can undermine the founding drive to create a Jewish state, that there was no legitimate motivation, it's easier to criticize Israel.) It is important to ignore qualified scholars in the field because a hack will do the kind of half-assed hatchet job you need, overlooking the evidence that might undermine his position and highlighting the most skewed and prejudicial evidence available. We had a conference on post-Zionism at UCSC where the panel included a couple of reputable scholars, such as Judith Butler, but was mainly filled out by C-list academics. None of the panelists had any scholarly publications on Zionism to their credit. But all the panelists had taken active roles opposing Israel in their personal lives. That's what it takes to get on a dais or published in an encyclopedia these days, just a willingness to trash Israel without any qualifications or attention to scholarly standards. The convener was an anthropologist who does not teach, conduct research or write on the topic, not a political scientist or historian or Middle East scholar, and she refused any suggestions for speakers qualified to speak on the topic. Ironically, Butler choose to speak on Hannah Arendt as an example of opposition to Israel, however admitting that she hadn't read the _Jewish Writings_ while the editor of that edition sat in the audience. I read an exchange between Norman Finkelstein and one of his reviewers. The reviewer had trashed _Beyond Chutzpah_ saying F. had failed to do scholarly research. F. responded in the letters column that he'd combed through thousands of documents as part of his research. In the same issue, the reviewer responded to F. saying, Yes, but you brought forward only the evidence that supported your thesis and ignored the rest, and that's not scholarship. I spoke to a local scholar -- a real, dyed-in-the-wool scholar -- about this situation, and he said the thought American academia had come to model itself on the U.S. judicial system where opposing attorneys spend all their efforts trying to suppress the evidence that would hurt their case. Academics today seem to focus completely on establishing their thesis by selectively choosing which evidence to include and ignoring the rest. Had the anthropologist who convened the UCSC post-Zionism event conducted her research with the same focus on personal prejudice over scholarly integrity as she brought to assembling a panel of speakers, she could have been accused of academic fraud. There are some fields where cherry-picking evidence is not acceptable, but I fear that the social
RE: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia on Race and Racism
Unfortunately, Gale and many of the main publishing houses, are not favorable to the Jewish position in general. I always look very carefully when thinking of purchasing a book, many times finding questionable statements. Even in the back of a Gale Holocaust book, they mentioned that if Israel would treat the Arabs better, they would avoid another Holocaust. Alas, between the Anti-Semitism and the fact that the Israeli PR is terrible, we are not seen in a favorable light. Rayna Rayna Clark YULA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL 1619 S, Robertson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90035 tel (310) 203-0755 Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
Re: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
Librarians for Fairness is writing a formal protest letter to the publisher (Gale) about this. Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
RE: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
Noel Ignatiev, the controversial author of this article did indeed include references, they can be seen on the scan of the article that I posted to ha-Safran yesterday. http://www.ccsu.edu/library/Bernstein/Zionism.pdf Steven +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Steven Jay Bernstein Assistant Catalog Librarian Central Connecticut State University 1615 Stanley Street New Britain, Connecticut 06050 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ PHONE: (860) 832-2079 FAX: (860) 832-2053 E-MAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
Re: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
I appreciate the efforts of Steven Bernstein and others to combat the inaccuracies of the Encyclopedia of Race and Racism in regard to the article on Zionism. However, I must disagree with Aviva Astrinsky who, in a side comment in this thread, puts the New Testament and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion in the same category (best sellers that contain lies). While the tragic truth is that the New Testament has been misused over the centuries as a basis for anti-semitism, and while selected passages seem noxious to our modern ears, a variety of Jewish and Christian scholars has demonstrated that most of the New Testament was originally written by Jews, and the problematic passages were overheated rhetoric (common for the time period) between rival Jewish sects. To characterize the New Testament as containing lies is to misunderstand it in its original cultural and religious context. In no way should it be compared to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Mark Stover San Diego State University Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
RE: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
Thanks to Steve for bringing this to our attention. I would like to know if the writer of this entry provided bibliographical references. At Library School we were taught that encyclopedias are compilation of facts, not of opinions. One exception was the Great Soviet Encyclopedia and its revisions. However, when it comes to Jewish subjects, lies -- repeated often enough -- become the truth. See for instance The New Testament, a best seller for two millennia, and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a best seller since the beginning of the 20th century. Aviva Astrinsky YIVO Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
Re: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
Dear Steve, Thank you for alerting us to this article. I will write a letter on behalf of AJL when I get back. This kind of misinformation should not be tolerated. Susan Dubin AJL President Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
Re: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
Thank you fro alerting us to this, Mr. Bernstein. I like the way you frame the question of professional ethics, ethical obligation is to put all items out there for our users or to put factual items out there for them. Given that it is an encyclopedia which people can lreasonably expect to be factual, I respectfully submit it should not be put on the shelves of most libraries. Shmuel Ben-Gad, Gelman Library, George Washington University. Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
RE: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
In case anyone would like to read this article for themselves, I have scanned it and posted it to my web space http://www.ccsu.edu/library/Bernstein/Zionism.pdf Steven +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Steven Jay Bernstein Assistant Catalog Librarian Central Connecticut State University 1615 Stanley Street New Britain, Connecticut 06050 +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ PHONE: (860) 832-2079 FAX: (860) 832-2053 E-MAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
RE: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
The offending article should not go without challenge. Also, Amazon's website http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Race-Racism-Set/dp/002866020X states -- Encyclopedia of Race And Racism (Encyclopedia of Race and Racism) 3 Volume Set (Hardcover) No customer reviews yet. Be the first. May I suggest that anyone who has a copy of this MISencyclopedia (my term) should oblige and submit an informed review that would deter others from being misled. Yoel Sheridan Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] .tenterbooks.com Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
Re: [ha-Safran]: Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
Formal letters to the publisher's corporate office with ccs to the editor(s) would definitely be in order Publishers often farm out work without realizing the extreme bias of their writiers. Also, academics and quasi-academics with political agendas approach respected publishers with proposals for titles that sound great. Publishers like Gale are always on the look out for new titles they think will sell to academic libraries and have a stream of such titles in the pipeline. While some editors do themselves share perhaps the bias, others assigned to the projects just take the so-called experts' words as authoritative and don't stop to consider that statements like these need review and fact-checking. Consciousness raising is in order and librarians have an important role to play both in their institutions and vis a vis the publishing community. Doing so is not censorship. Ellen Zyroff Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
