Release date: March 16, 2007
Contact: Elaine Justice at 404-727-0643 or elaine.justice@emory.edu

Dialogue Sparked by Carter Book Continues at Emory

Building on the interest generated by former President Jimmy Carter's most recent book, "Palestine Peace Not Apartheid," the Provost's Office at Emory University has planned a series of events to encourage dialogue about conflict in Israel and Palestine.

Under the title "Inquiry, Conflict and Peace-building in the Middle East," the series will include major lectures by Emory's own Kenneth Stein, the William E. Schatten Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History, Political Science and Israeli Studies, as well as by Marc Gopin of George Mason University and Dennis Ross, former U.S. envoy to the Middle East under Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

"Professor Stein's talk is part of a series of events planned by Emory President James Wagner and Provost Earl Lewis to present the Emory community with a balanced view of the dialogue on efforts toward peacebuilding in the Middle East," says Santa Ono, vice provost for academic initiatives and deputy provost of the university.

The Provost's Office announced dates for programs related to the initiative including:

• Marc Gopin, James H. Laue Professor, George Mason University, as part of the Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding Initiative, will speak on interfaith diplomancy, 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, March 21 in room 111, White Hall, 301 Dowman Drive.

• Kenneth Stein's lecture, "The Carter Book Controversy," will take place at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5 in room 208, White Hall, 301 Dowman, Drive. The lecture is available online. (requires RealPlayer).

• A panel discussion on the situation in Israel and Palestine will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 26 in Winship Ballroom of the Dobbs Center. A reception at 7:30 p.m. will precede the discussion.

• Dennis Ross is scheduled to speak at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1 at Glenn Memorial Auditorium, 1660, N. Decatur Rd. For more information about the event, go to the full release.

• In August 2007 and January 2008, Emory faculty, administrators and staff will travel to the Middle East under the auspices of the "Journeys of Reconciliation" program organized by Susan Henry-Crowe, dean of the chapel and of religious life at Emory.

• The Center for Lifelong Learning will sponsor an Emory continuing education course on the Middle East conflict beginning in fall 2008.

Plans for a fall 2007 campus panel discussion with President Carter on the topic also are underway. "These events are designed to facilitate a scholarly analysis of this important world issue," says Ono.

The series began during an Emory town hall Feb. 22 when Carter, University Distinguished Professor at Emory since 1982, talked about his efforts toward bringing peace to the Middle East and the reasons he wrote "Palestine Peace Not Apartheid."

Stein served as the first director of The Carter Center from 1983-86 and was a Middle East Fellow there from 1983 until he resigned in 2006, to protest the publication in November of Carter's book. In his April 5 talk, Stein will discuss the book and its implications, and take questions from the audience. For more information call 404-727-5253.

For related information go to Inquiry, Conflict and Peacebuilding in the Middle East.

Emory University is one of the nation's leading private research universities and a member of the Association of American Universities. Known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities, Emory is ranked as one of the country's top 20 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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