Norman Finkelstein: American Radical
January 18th, 2010 § 9 Comments
During the 1980s a Jewish doctoral student from New York wrote a damning thesis on a best-selling book that many had rallied behind with their professional endorsements. In it Norman Finkelstein revealed Joan Peter’s From Time Immemorial to be a “monumental hoax” – an uncontroversial statement now, but something deemed difficult to accept at the time, given the academic community’s unabated acceptance of the arguments it put forward. In response, Princeton University delayed the granting of Finkelstein’s PhD and even after they did grant it, refused to give him professional backing. His ”factual record” was however undeniable, forcing everyone to eventually cast aside the book into a pile of embarrassing misjudgments of Zionist propaganda, while still refusing to give the investigator his well-deserved credit. So began Finkelstein’s long and arduous uphill battle in academia and in life, a battle that he has lost almost everything to except his dignity and his belief in what’s right.
David Ridgen and Nicolas Rossier’s “American Radical: the Trials of Norman Finkelstein” documents Finkelstein’s life story, from his complex relationship with his mother, to his unwillingness to sacrifice the truth for professional success. From his demolition of the factual inaccuracies of books by Zionist authors like Peters and Alan Dershowitz, to his famous debates with the likes of Wolf Blitzer and interviews where he advocates the right of violent resistance, Finkelstein has often been pushed into the spotlight by those who have been intent on destroying him. He has however remained as one long-time Palestinian friend notes in the film, incredibly “human,” continuing to speak out against Israel’s atrocities against the Palestinians as fervently as his late mother denounced those who were responsible for the suffering of millions of people during the Nazi holocaust.
It was Finkelstein’s well-known debate with Dershowitz on Democracy Now!, where he showed Dershowitz’s book The Case for Israel to be full of factual inaccuracies, that ultimately ended Finkelstein’s academic career. As a childhood friend now living in Tel Aviv notes during the film, Finkelstein appeared to have underestimated Dershowitz’s power and influence. After leaving Hunter College in New York when the administration tried to further reduce his meager salary from the already low $18,000, Finkelstein began his first (and long past due) tenure bid at DePaul University in Chicago. But after Finkelstein accused Dershowitz of fraud during the DN debate, Dershowitz used his lobbying might to pressure DePaul into denying Finkelstein tenure. Despite rallies in solidarity with Finkelstein and overwhelming support from the faculty at DePaul as well as from other academics from around the world, both DePaul’s dean and president voted to reject Finkelstein’s tenure bid, effectively terminating his position after 6 years of Finkelstein’s service. Finkelstein threatened to sue and ultimately came to a settlement with the administration (he later stated that rather than waste years of his life in courtrooms, he wanted to continue focusing on his work), but not without demanding that DePaul officially admit that:
Professor Finklestein is a prolific scholar and an outstanding teacher. The university thanks him for his contributions and his service.
Since this crushing blow in 2007, 57 year old Finkelstein has endured by continuing to publish books on Israel/Palestine and travelling the world to lecture. He notes in the film that he is a private and sedentary person and that he is in “agony” while travelling until he returns home to his work and his books – a home which the film reveals to be simple and modest, the walls covered with photos of his heroes and his late family members.
Certainly one can justifiably take issue with some of Finkelstein’s arguments, including his constant reference to the “international consenus” over Palestine (as though the mere existence of one can somehow lead to the implementation of a just solution), his brushing off of the importance of the Palestinian right of return, and perhaps most importantly his downplaying of the power and influence of the Israel lobby in shaping American foreign policy (an ironic claim given how much suffering he has endured at the hands of those he denies the power of ). But no one can deny how important Finkelstein’s work has been in advocating and garnering support for the Palestinian cause in the West. He has always articulated what people think but dare not say, from comparing Israel’s violent repression of the native Palestinian population through expulsion, arrests, torture and murder to the actions of Nazis during the Holocaust, to his open support of the right to violent resistance against violent oppressors. It has been his refusal to remain within the unsaid academic code of careful tiptoeing around controversial issues and his committment to passionately speaking out regardless of the consequences, that has in the end isolated him from almost everyone. With this in mind it is no surprise that his life of struggle has not been without doubts. At one point during the film Finkelstein notes: “sometimes I wonder whether it’s all worth it,” but it is his statement near the end when he defines his understanding of the term “radical” (a characterization he embraces) that may remain with viewers forever:
To me it’s quantitatively more than the usual discontent a person feels with the world…This is a radically unfair place and it requires a radical change.
The film’s trailer is found below. You can find a screening near you by going here or you can purchase the DVD. To learn more about Finkelstein and to purchase his books (his most important source of income given the academic community’s refusal to allow him to work again), visit his official website.
thank you v much jasmin i am watching the documentary right now.
I just watched American Radical, an exceptionally good film. And then I read this review again. The way you have described his stance on involvement of Israel lobby as “an ironic claim” is so appropriate considering what he has to endure. But I do not understand why does he downplay the role and influence of Israel lobby?
Jhombravella and ali, where can I download the movie? I really would like to see it — it’s not for sale on the usual DVD outlets yet.
Thanks.
here you are G.
http://btjunkie.org/torrent/American-Radical-The-Trials-Of-Norman-Finkelstein-AVI-GCJM/43586991b2ccbbca14ce268d4050beb4d20e2fdb3bde
(don’t be scared by the naked men you might see on the btjunkie page: A9/V10)
the film is excellent. i would advise people to buy it on
http://www.typecastfilms.com and support independent filmmmakers instead of promoting illegal downloads
Buy directly from arabfilm.com. From the filmmakers on piratebay torrent site:
I am not convinced that arabfilms is the correct link
http://typecastfilms.com/shop/american-radical-the-trials-of-norman-finkelstein/
Seems a more reasonable link.
not illegal in my country and i do suggest buying the documentary to the people who can afford it.
in fact last month i did have a few euros left but i decided to send them to haiti, sorry ali.
indeed, i promote buying Finkelstein’s works, but since i amb locked in due to a severe chronic illness and live on a small social services economic aid and on my own, i am sorry the only thing i can do regarding this kind of products is consuming them for free, and posibly being aware they’re out there.
[...] Radical À propos du documentaire : • IMDb • ISM • LePost • MediaPart • Panorama • P U L S E • The New York [...]