最新糖心Vlog

High-profile Palestinian academic in Adelaide

Professor Saree Makdisi
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Wednesday, 16 September 2009

Palestinian-American author and academic will deliver the annual at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide this Saturday 19 September.

Professor Makdisi comes from a distinguished academic family and is also the nephew of the late , considered one of the most famous Palestinian intellectuals in the world until his death in 2003.

The Washington-born academic is Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the in Los Angeles. He is also a regular commentator on contemporary Arab politics and culture and is widely published in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Houston Chronicle, London Review of Books and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Professor Makdisi will address many of the issues raised in his 2008 book when he delivers the fifth annual lecture this month, titled "From Occupation to Reconciliation".

"We have a current impasse in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians because the notion of a two-state solution has broken down beyond repair," he said.

"A one-state solution, in which Israeli Jews and Palestinians would share and live as equals in a single, democratic and secular state is the way to go, I believe. This solution was also championed by Edward Said.

"It's an act of futility trying to separate people according to religion or ethnicity. Israelis and Palestinians are already bound together historically and geographically and we should find ways to turn that into a positive future," Professor Makdisi said.

"The two-state solution would preclude the possibility of finding justice for those Palestinians and their descendants who were ethnically cleansed from their homes during the creation of Israel in 1948," he added.

"By contrast, a one-state solution would allow those Palestinians who were expelled in 1948 to exercise their moral and legal right to return. It would also grant full and equal citizenship to Palestinians living inside what is today Israel; and it would end the misery of life under military occupation."

Professor Makdisi is the fifth guest speaker to deliver the Edward Said Memorial Lecture since its inception in 2005. Previous lectures - delivered by Middle East correspondent , the late , Palestinian-British author and Harvard scholar - have all sold out.

The lecture will be held in Napier 102 at 5pm on Saturday 19 September. Tickets are $15 if pre-purchased online at or at Digimob 最新糖心Vlog, 246 Pulteney Street, Adelaide (cash only), or $20 at the door.

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