Crossroads Lecture this Friday Examines Israel and Palestine Today

Contributed by Judith Miller

The third season of the lecture series Crossroads: Ideas for a New Century will get underway on Friday, September 25, 7:30 p.m. at Orcas Center with a presentation by Ellis Goldberg entitled Getting It Right: Israel, Palestine and the Obama Administration.

The 60 year-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is one of the most intractable problems facing the global community, defying the efforts of successive American administrations to broker a solution. Might President Obama have any new options available to him that could help bring peace to this perpetually troubled region?

Goldberg brings a broad and nuanced perspective to the question.  As a Professor of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Washington, he teaches courses in Middle East politics, comparative politics, and international political economy.  He served for many years as the Director of UW’s prestigious Middle East Center and Chair of the Middle East Studies Program, and he has held visiting appointments at Harvard University’s Center for Middle East Studies and Princeton University’s Department of Near Eastern Studies and Transregional Institute.  Moreover, he is fluent in Arabic and has done substantial field work in the area. His numerous publications include three books focusing on issues of class, politics, and labor in Egypt, and he has co-edited a volume entitled Rules and Rights in the Middle East: Democracy, Law and Society.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College and two Master of Arts degrees (in English and Political Science) from the University of California, Berkeley, where he also earned his Ph.D.

The Crossroads series presents thoughtful, provocative speakers who help the Orcas community think about timely issues, both local and global.  The fall schedule also includes lectures on October 18, when James McGaugh will address “Memory and Emotion: The Making of Lasting Memories,” and on November 6, when Barbara Safriet will discuss “Health Care Reform: Questions and Consequences.”  Topics planned for the spring include infectious disease, global warming, the economy, and the psychology of evil.

Crossroads is sponsored by the Friends of the Orcas Island Library in cooperation with Orcas Island Public Library. It was originally made possible by a generous seed grant from the Francis Bacon Foundation, in the belief that the Orcas community would welcome, and ultimately support, such a series.  That seed grant has now ended, and the series must make the transition from grant-supported to community-supported funding.  Even though the program is entirely volunteer-driven, each lecture costs over $2,000 on average, and local grants and donations cover only half this cost.  As a result, the steering committee has concluded that it must introduce a small charge for tickets, while also making sure that complimentary tickets are available for community members who would not otherwise be able to attend.  Based on a survey of attendees conducted last fall, that charge has been set at $10, and tickets can be purchased at Darvills and the Library starting three weeks before each lecture.   A discount will be made available to those who purchase season’s tickets, which will cost $60 and will be good for all seven 2009-2010 events.  Those who need complimentary tickets can sign up for them at the Senior Center or the Library beginning two weeks before each lecture.