[Marxism] Joel Kovel's Overcoming Zionism under fire!

["george snedeker" <snedekerg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here is an interesting story taken from Inside Higher Education about the 
attempt to stop the distribution of Joel Kovel's book, Overcoming Zionism.  I 
can certainly see why the Zionists would not like Kovel's book to be discussed 
and read, but calling for a university press to stop distributing  it and 
calling his argument racist and  hate speech  is a extremely reactionary 
position to take. In fact, it shows how powerful and dangerous the 
neocon-proIsrael lobby is. 

The University of Michigan announced late Tuesday that the University of 
Michigan Press would resume distribution of 
Overcoming Zionism,
 a book that calls the creation of Israel a mistake and that prompted several 
pro-Israel groups 
to complain to the university about its role
 in making available a book they characterized as "hate speech." The University 
of Michigan Press 
stopped distribution last month,
 following those complaints, and setting off 
complaints of censorship
 by others. Michigan was not the publisher, but distributed the book for Pluto 
Press, a British publisher specializing in leftist social science for an
academic audience. The author of the book is 
Joel Kovel,
 distinguished professor of social studies at Bard College. 
In a statement released by the university, the press Executive Board (a faculty 
body) said that while it "has deep reservations about Overcoming Zionism,
it would be a blow against free speech to remove the book from distribution on 
that basis. We conclude that we should not fail to honor our distribution
agreement based on our reservations about the content of a single book." 
The statement continued: "Such a course raises both First Amendment issues and 
concerns about the appearance of censorship. As members of the university
community dedicated to academic freedom and open debate among differing views, 
the Executive Board stands firmly for freedom of expression, and against
even the appearance of censorship. In this instance, both legal and value 
considerations lead us to the decision to resume distribution of the book." 
At the same time, the board tried to distance itself from the book and its 
publisher. "Had the manuscript gone through the standard review process used
by the University of Michigan Press, the board would not have recommended 
publication. But the arrangement with Pluto Press is for distribution only; the
UM Press never intended to review individually every title published by Pluto 
(or any other press for which it holds distribution rights). By resuming
distribution, the board in no way endorses the content of the book." 
In addition, the board announced that Pluto's decision to publish Overcoming 
Zionism "brings into question the viability of UM Press's distribution agreement
with Pluto Press. The board intends to look into these matters and decide, 
later this fall, whether the distribution contract with Pluto Press should be
continued." 
Jonathan Schwartz, a Michigan alumnus who has been blogging critically about 
the Kovel book at 
Anti-Racist Blog: Exposing Anti-Semitism and Anti-Zionism on American College 
Campuses,
 said he was disappointed in the university's decision to resume distribution 
of the book. The university press board "dodged the issue of the racist content
of Mr. Kovel's book, and his incredibly offensive messages," Schwartz said. 
"The University of Michigan made a conscious decision to serve as the 
distributor
of Mr. Kovel's anti-Zionist propaganda. It is shameful that Overcoming Zionism 
is being distributed with U. of M.'s imprimatur and complicity." 
Kovel could not be reached Tuesday night. 
Roger van Zwanenberg, chairman and commissioning editor at Pluto, said he found 
the decision about distribution of Overcoming Zionism to be "reassuring,"
but that he found the statements about the "deep reservations" on the book and 
the questions about his press to be "less reassuring." And he questioned
whether these statements are consistent with academic freedom. 
"These so called 'deep reservations', stem from what is acceptable scholarship 
and what is unacceptable," he said. Tenure and academic freedom should protect
the tradition of "critical scholarship" and assure that "unpopular scholarship 
can thrive," van Zwanenberg said. Pluto has always worked within the "critical
scholarship" framework, he said, publishing Marxist and anarchist theorists, 
among others, and such well known figures in American academe as Noam Chomsky.
"The University of Michigan Press always knew Pluto published scholars under 
this frame," he said. (Even a brief look at the 
Pluto Web site
 shows that the press makes no attempt to hide its views or the political 
nature of its authors.) 
>From Michigan's statement, van Zwanenberg said, it appears that "Pluto may be 
>accused that a single volume does not come up to the standards of more 
>traditional
scholarship.
It would be shameful if this were to occur, as to be accused of something we 
never set out to achieve by a scholarly community serves no one." 
Pluto books, he said, "add to the richness of publishing within any university 
arena." 
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