Dear colleagues,
just to avoid some misunderstandings:
1. I cannot more then agree with Baruch Kimmerlings opinion: I do think that most social scientists are against occupation, war and supression. In Israel, a lot of prominent politicians like Yossi Beilin clearly join this opinion. This is, however, a strategical aim which has to be reached by negotiations; skillful negotiations, like Yossi Beilin was leading them with Arafat starting the Oslo process and not superficial pathetic declaration like some social scientists are voicing them.
2. We as social scientists should first protest against the killing on both sides and thereafter protest against damages caused to buildings (again on both sides). Why don't we condemn the killing of civilians, but just the attack against the statistical office. THIS IS CYNICAL.
3. It is even more cynical to use the tragic events in the Middle East for a sort of a private revanche like JP Roos did it. I am not answering to this as this is below ethical standards and not funny at all.
4. I am willing to discuss the judeophobie issue with everybody who is willing to discuss it on a serious base. And I recommend strongly to read and discuss the last books by Tanguieff and - a bit more and too general with some historical mistakes, still an interesting book - by Jacques Attali both recently published and hopefully translated soon so that it becomes accessible in the modern Latin which English seems to be.
5. I am very much surprised that nobody answers my proposal to get in touch with sociologists on both sides to start an initiative in the social science communities. Is it that we do not think that Israeli and Palestinina sociologists could be (or are already) European sociologists? Or is it that we want to avoid touchy discussions which might overcome single-minded and superficial declarations.
Regards,
Ronald
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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: JP ROOS [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Gesendet: Freitag, 01. Februar 2002 11:31
An: [log in to unmask]
Betreff: Re: War on statistics
Dear colleagues.
This is an interesting debate. I happen to side more with Benoit
d'Estoile than Claudine Attias-Donfut. It is difficult to see any
strategic reasons for destroying a center of statistics, only a wish to
make it more diifficult to present concrete arguments about the
Palestinians as people (and this is probably not the only motive).
For us as sociologists, it is quite legitimate to protest against such
acts, and it is not a small question as Ronald Pohoryles claims (I
happen to remember well that he himself took up a much smaller
question in connection with the ESA conference in Helsinki!).
And it must emphatically be said that this in not a question of
"judeophobia" or "anti-semitism". This argument should be left for
those occasions where it is really appropriate, otherwise it loses all
meaning.
I am happy to hear such sane voices from Jerusalem (Baruch
Kimmerling)!
Best greetings
JP Roos
Date sent: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 16:26:10 +0100
Send reply to: "Ronald J. Pohoryles" <[log in to unmask]>
From: "Ronald J. Pohoryles" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: War on statistics
To: [log in to unmask]
> Dear All,
>
> I fully share Claudine's position. Benoit de l'Estoile's proposal is, and this is very sad to say, an interesting example in case for Pierre-André Taguieff's recent publication "La nouvelle judéophobie". Furthermore, it seems to me ridiculous - to say the least - to complain about such a minor
incident in a war like this.
>
> For the potential peace making role of social scientist there is a very good example: the involvment of the Peace Research Institute in Oslo during (and before) the Oslo negotiations. But this was quite a singular experience due to a favourable political constellation.
>
> Does anyone know what our Israeli and Palestinian colleagues are doing in this respect and whether we could support them, perhaps with respect to common activities? This would be a much more appropriate initiative as far as I could understand the role of the international social science
community.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ronald J Pohoryles
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> The Interdisciplinary Centre for Comparative Research in the
> Social Sciences (IFS-ICCR-CIR)
>
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