Join Connecticut College Philosophy Professor Andrew Pessin for a lecture on the growing issue of antisemitism and anti Zionism on today’s college campuses, sponsored by Congregation Sharah Zedek. The talk will take place in the library's Auditorium. Please join us for this timely and important presentation. Professor Pessin will have his books available for purchase at this event, but it is free to attend.

About Professor Andrew Pessin:

Pessin’s scholarly work has gone through several phases. His doctorate, and first few publications, were in contemporary philosophy of mind. But then his interest in the relationship between mind, brain, nature in general, and ultimately God led him backwards to the historical roots of philosophy of mind, and he spent some dozen-plus years publishing articles in early modern philosophy—on Descartes, Malebranche, and Leibniz, focusing on the themes of mind, perception, causation, and God.

His interest in these themes then expanded both backward in time and forward. First backward, as he did some work in medieval scholasticism (Aquinas and Suarez in particular), which in turn inspired an interest in medieval Jewish thinkers. Then forward, as the interest in Jewish thinkers spread to include modern and contemporary Jewish thought. His keen awareness of the hostility to Israel across college campuses has also led him to do some work on the history of Zionist thought. Finally, he has always enjoyed writing fiction, so all these interests have come together in the books he has recently published (or is about to publish): a novel based on the sad life and mysterious death of Descartes, an edited anthology on campus anti-Zionism, a book on the history of Jewish thought, and an edited anthology on antisemitism in the United States.

He is Professor of Philosophy at Connecticut College and Campus Bureau Editor of The Algemeiner. Author of many academic articles and books, a philosophy textbook, several philosophical books for the general reader, and two novels, his current research is focused on philosophical matters relevant both to Judaism and Israel.

About the book:

Many scholars have endured the struggle against rising anti-Israel sentiments on college and university campuses worldwide. This volume of personal essays documents and analyzes the deleterious impact of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement on the most cherished Western institutions. These essays illustrate how anti-Israelism corrodes the academy and its treasured ideals of free speech, civility, respectful discourse, and open research. Nearly every chapter attests to the blurred distinction between anti-Israelism and antisemitism, as well as to hostile learning climates where many Jewish students, staff, and faculty feel increasingly unwelcome and unsafe. Anti-Zionism on Campus provides a testament to the specific ways anti-Israelism manifests on campuses and considers how this chilling and disturbing trend can be combatted.