Benjamin Ginsberg

In this provocative book, Benjamin Ginsberg examines the cycle of Jewish success and anti-Semitic attack throughout the history of the Diaspora, with a concentrated focus on the "special case" of America. For Ginsberg, the essential issue is not anti-Jewish feeling, but the conditions under which such sentiment is likely to be used in the political arena. The Fatal Embrace identifies the political dynamics that, historically, have set the stage for the persecution of Jews.

Until very recently, American universities were led mainly by their faculties, which viewed intellectual production and pedagogy as the core missions of higher education. Today, as Benjamin Ginsberg warns in this eye-opening, controversial book, "deanlets"--administrators and staffers often without serious academic backgrounds or experience--are setting the educational agenda. The Fall of the Faculty examines the fallout of rampant administrative blight that now plagues the nation's universities. In the past decade, universities have added layers of administrators and staffers to their payrolls every year even while laying off full-time faculty in increasing numbers--ostensibly because of budget cuts. In a further irony, many of the newly minted--and non-academic--administrators are career managers who downplay the importance of teaching and research, as evidenced by their tireless advocacy for a banal "life skills" curriculum. Consequently, students are denied a more enriching educational experience--one defined by intellectual rigor. Ginsberg also reveals how the legitimate grievances of minority groups and liberal activists, which were traditionally championed by faculty members, have, in the hands of administrators, been reduced to chess pieces in a game of power politics. By embracing initiatives such as affirmative action, the administration gained favor with these groups and legitimized a thinly cloaked gambit to bolster their power over the faculty. As troubling as this trend has become, there are ways to reverse it. The Fall of the Faculty outlines how we can revamp the system so that real educators can regain their voice in curriculum policy.

Dissatisfaction with the academy runs deep in America. Despite-or perhaps because of-the fact that a far greater percentage of Americans have attended college than at any time in the past, distrust of the higher education system seems higher than ever. The most common complaints concern rapidly escalating tuition prices, affirmative action policies, and-not least-the allegedly left-wing professoriate that runs American universities. Indeed, much of the criticism of academia focuses on professors: they are too liberal, they care little about teaching, and they are too hyperspecialized. Benjamin Ginsberg argues that this common critique puts the cart before the horse and ignores a much bigger issue. In fact, faculty are not the primary problem with contemporary academia. Rather, the problem lies in the explosive growth in administration in US universities and the concomitant decline in faculty power in influence. Put simply, "deanlets "-administrators without doctorates or serious academic training-rule the roost, and professors do not have nearly as much institutional power as they used to. Their decline dovetails with another trend: the growing regimentation and corporatization of the university. The fallout, Ginsberg contends, is negative: a de-emphasis on intellectual rigor and the traditional liberal arts. A stinging critique of how universities are run today, this book charts how this happened and explains how we can revamp the system so that actual educators have more say in curriculum policy.

This book explores the ideologies and educational and cultural trends that have alienated Americans from their own country and offers a guide to the restoration of American citizenship. The authors examine the genealogy of ideologies that are leading to a decline in American citizenship, illuminate educational and historical trends in both K-12 learning and higher education, and offer an even-handed critique of the role that various thinkers, activists, and decision-makers on both the Left and the Right have played in unravelling civic and political bonds. They go on to offer new ways of thinking about American citizenship, ways that are inclusive and inspirational and address the short-sightedness of both the Left and the Right. Applying the lens of political theory, political science, American political development, and institutionalism, this book will be of interest to students, educators, policy makers, and activists interested in citizenship and civic education.

This book explores the ideologies and educational and cultural trends that have alienated Americans from their own country and offers a guide to the restoration of American citizenship. The authors examine the genealogy of ideologies that are leading to a decline in American citizenship, illuminate educational and historical trends in both K-12 learning and higher education, and offer an even-handed critique of the role that various thinkers, activists, and decision-makers on both the Left and the Right have played in unravelling civic and political bonds. They go on to offer new ways of thinking about American citizenship, ways that are inclusive and inspirational and address the short-sightedness of both the Left and the Right. Applying the lens of political theory, political science, American political development, and institutionalism, this book will be of interest to students, educators, policy makers, and activists interested in citizenship and civic education.

This series of scholarly chapters explores the unpleasant realities of modern politics – and American politics in particular – by examining how self- interest, war, violence, deception and institutional failure continue to characterize the political landscape. Author Benjamin Ginsberg argues that the political world in which we like to think we live – the world of civic engagement, representative government and principled political discourse – is fleeting and fragile, resting uneasily upon the foundation of a harsh and dark reality. Making a fundamental contribution to our understandings of politics, this book is an important read for students and scholars of American Politics and Government.

Warping Time shows how narratives of the past influence what people believe about the present and future state of the world. In Benjamin Ginsberg and Jennifer Bachner’s simple experiments, in which the authors measured the impact of different stories their subjects heard about the past, these “history lessons” moved contemporary policy preferences by an average of 16 percentage points; forecasts of the future moved contemporary policy preferences by an average of 12 percentage points; the two together moved preferences an average of 21 percentage points. And, in an Orwellian twist, the authors estimate that the “history lessons” had an average “erasure effect” of 8.5 percentage points—the difference between those with long-held preferences and those who did not recall that they previously held other opinions before participating in the experiment. The fact that the past, present, and future are subject to human manipulation suggests that history is not simply the product of impersonal forces, material conditions, or past choices. Humans are the architects of history, not its captives. Political reality is tenuous. Changes in our understanding of the past or future can substantially alter perceptions of and action in the present. Finally, the manipulation of time, especially the relationship between past and future, is a powerful political tool.

Warping Time shows how narratives of the past influence what people believe about the present and future state of the world. In Benjamin Ginsberg and Jennifer Bachner’s simple experiments, in which the authors measured the impact of different stories their subjects heard about the past, these “history lessons” moved contemporary policy preferences by an average of 16 percentage points; forecasts of the future moved contemporary policy preferences by an average of 12 percentage points; the two together moved preferences an average of 21 percentage points. And, in an Orwellian twist, the authors estimate that the “history lessons” had an average “erasure effect” of 8.5 percentage points—the difference between those with long-held preferences and those who did not recall that they previously held other opinions before participating in the experiment. The fact that the past, present, and future are subject to human manipulation suggests that history is not simply the product of impersonal forces, material conditions, or past choices. Humans are the architects of history, not its captives. Political reality is tenuous. Changes in our understanding of the past or future can substantially alter perceptions of and action in the present. Finally, the manipulation of time, especially the relationship between past and future, is a powerful political tool.

This book critiques a modern U. S. political system characterized by the partisan weaponization of bureaucratic systems and institutions. Competition for political power in the United States today is not just about winning elections. Competing political forces attempt to win at the polls, but they do not bet all their chips on electoral outcomes. Each party has built an institutional bastion within portions of the federal bureaucracy. Each party makes use of judicial and criminal proceedings for partisan purposes—a practice dubbed “lawfare” by the national media. And, acting through various surrogates, each party sponsors “violence by proxy,” to achieve its ends. To the extent that political struggles are fought outside the electoral arena, ordinary Americans have little or no voice in public affairs. And, unfortunately, in the United States today, a good deal of political struggle takes place outside the electoral arena. This book will be used in undergraduate and graduate classes in political parties, electoral politics, and in general U. S. government classes.

This book critiques a modern U. S. political system characterized by the partisan weaponization of bureaucratic systems and institutions. Competition for political power in the United States today is not just about winning elections. Competing political forces attempt to win at the polls, but they do not bet all their chips on electoral outcomes. Each party has built an institutional bastion within portions of the federal bureaucracy. Each party makes use of judicial and criminal proceedings for partisan purposes—a practice dubbed “lawfare” by the national media. And, acting through various surrogates, each party sponsors “violence by proxy,” to achieve its ends. To the extent that political struggles are fought outside the electoral arena, ordinary Americans have little or no voice in public affairs. And, unfortunately, in the United States today, a good deal of political struggle takes place outside the electoral arena. This book will be used in undergraduate and graduate classes in political parties, electoral politics, and in general U. S. government classes.

States are thought only to exercise power over the land of the living. Benjamin Ginsberg argues otherwise, exploring the state’s reach into the realm of the Grim Reaper, bureaucratizing death to strengthen the state’s hold on life. He notes that increasingly institutions are using the regulation of death as an essential source of power. They do this by not only threatening death to their enemies but also securing loyalty and obedience by extending citizens’ lives and promising to effectuate the postmortem fulfillment of citizens’ antemortem desires. The state treats the loyal dead with respect, sometimes offering them a place in the secular afterlife of honor and memory, while consigning the faithless to the void.

States are thought only to exercise power over the land of the living. Benjamin Ginsberg argues otherwise, exploring the state’s reach into the realm of the Grim Reaper, bureaucratizing death to strengthen the state’s hold on life. He notes that increasingly institutions are using the regulation of death as an essential source of power. They do this by not only threatening death to their enemies but also securing loyalty and obedience by extending citizens’ lives and promising to effectuate the postmortem fulfillment of citizens’ antemortem desires. The state treats the loyal dead with respect, sometimes offering them a place in the secular afterlife of honor and memory, while consigning the faithless to the void.

The New American Anti-Semitism: The Left, the Right, and the Jews is a clarion call—not only to Jews, but to all Americans. As a nation, we must wake up and face the rising anti-Semitic threat and act accordingly. But that threat is not coming from its usual source. The most virulent form of anti-Semitism today, Ginsberg warns, is the result of toxic identity politics and anti-Israeli sentiment coming from today’s political Left. Perhaps the most persecuted people in all of history, Jews have stood tall in the face of unprecedented persecution in all places, at all times. Their culture’s rigorous emphasis on education and achievement catapults them, Ginsberg argues, to the upper echelons of the societies in which they live. But their success too often breeds resentment and jealousy, leading to an ugly anti-Semitism that has led, historically, to unspeakable violence. In this urgent new work, Dr. Benjamin Ginsberg—political scientist, professor, and bestselling author—exposes the ugly face of this new, progressive anti-Semitism (which is also thriving in Europe). To combat it, he urges American Jews to form new political alliances, particularly with evangelical Christians. The stakes of not doing so, says Ginsberg, are horrifically high—not only for the survival of the Jewish people, but for America’s survival. After all, the Jews have contributed immeasurably to America’s scientific, cultural, and economic achievements. Jews have been good for America; and America has been good to the Jews. But what once was so can change ... and Jews can never afford to forget their history. Read this book and learn: Why the Jews have always persisted in the face of persecution; Why the new face of Jewish persecution has found a home on university campuses, Left-leaning media outlets, and other unlikely places; The high and horrible costs of anti-Semitism; The profound benefits of philo-Semitism; The details of the new alliances that must be made to ensure the continuing success of American Jews—and America itself; And much, much more... In this must-read tour de force, Ginsberg enlightens readers by tracing the history of the Jewish people—starting from the children of Abraham and ending with Jews today—and urging all Jews and all Americans to learn the lessons of that history. Now.

This series of scholarly chapters explores the unpleasant realities of modern politics – and American politics in particular – by examining how self- interest, war, violence, deception and institutional failure continue to characterize the political landscape. Author Benjamin Ginsberg argues that the political world in which we like to think we live – the world of civic engagement, representative government and principled political discourse – is fleeting and fragile, resting uneasily upon the foundation of a harsh and dark reality. Making a fundamental contribution to our understandings of politics, this book is an important read for students and scholars of American Politics and Government.

Building on We the People’s?unparalleled focus on participation and the citizen’s role, new coauthor Megan Ming Francis uses her experience as an instructor and scholar of race and ethnicity politics to?energize coverage of race and social movements. New Check Your Understanding questions—in both print and ebook formats—motivate students and builds confidence in their learning. In the Norton Illumine Ebook Check Your Understanding questions include rich answer-feedback that helps students practice their learning. InQuizitive activities confirm chapter-level understanding and allow students to practice applying essential concepts.