Salem on the Thames : Moral Panic, Anti-Zionism, and the Triumph of Hate Speech at Connecticut College

"Richard Landes offers a sharply-drawn, no-holds-barred dissection of today''s campus politics at its worst. As a case study of the damage done to academic integrity by the intrusion of anti-Zionism into college life, his book is a must-read."  -Alvin H. Rosenfeld, Irving M. Glazer Chair in Jewish Studies and Director, Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism, Indiana University

This compelling volume focuses on the story of Andrew Pessin, a tenured philosophy professor at Connecticut College, who was accused by students and faculty of having “directly condoned the extermination of a people” based on a deliberate misreading of his 2015 Facebook post on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Salem on the Thames captures the events as they unfolded and discusses topics such as Western sentiments concerning Israeli-Palestinian relations, academics and free speech, antisemitism and diversity on the college campus, and social media and politics. The Pessin affair offers us a case study in a tendency towards “public shaming” reminiscent of the Salem witch trials that deeply compromises the integrity of academia.

“Universities and colleges in the United States were onceknown for stimulating new, cutting-edge ideas and for the unfettered freedomaccorded students and faculty to engage in critical debate with one another onany topic within and without the classroom. Salem on the Thamesdescribes how much has changed on American campuses where constraints on whatpeople can say are multiplying. And no topic elicits more inspection thanIsrael. At a time when clear, analytical thinking is more important than everfor students and for our society, it is receding in exactly the places where weexpect it to thrive—in fact, where we, as a country, have poured resources to ensureand protect that it flourish. This is an original and important book for allwho care about the academy and about preserving scholarly integrity.”

—Donna Robinson Divine, Morningstar Professor Emerita ofJewish Studies, Smith College

“Richard Landes’ Salem on the Thames is anexhaustive, meticulously detailed account of an antisemitic vendetta atConnecticut College against Professor Andrew Pessin. If you want to understandhow antisemitism disguised as ‘anti-Zionism’ has been permitted to grow andthrive on supposedly progressive college campuses, this case study is a greatplace to start.”

—David E. Bernstein, University Professor and ExecutiveDirector, Liberty & Law Center at Antonin Scalia Law School, George MasonUniversity

“Richard Landes offers asharply-drawn, no-holds-barred dissection of today’s campus politics at itsworst. As a case study of the damage done to academic integrity by theintrusion of anti-Zionism into college life, his book is a must-read.”

 —AlvinH. Rosenfeld, Irving M. Glazer Chair in Jewish Studies and Director, Institutefor the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism, Indiana University