Whatever else is done by the men and women who work in our universities, it is essential, I believe, that large numbers of them stand sufficiently outside society intellectually to see, understand, and interpret what is going on. I find it troubling that so few—there are credible exceptions—have seriously engaged with the question of what actually happened on 9/11 and why. There are so many holes and limitations in the official version that it calls out for rigorous intellectual fact-finding and analysis.
Alvin A. Lee, President Emeritus, McMaster University
“9/11 in the Academic Community” confronts the academy’s
uncritical response to the defining event of our times.
Lance deHaven-Smith, Professor in the Reubin O’D. Askew School of
Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University
Former President of the Florida Political Science Association
As an academic, I found the film to accurately describe
how academics tend to deal with controversial issues.
Hendrik Van den Berg, Professor of Economics at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Former Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State
The main thesis of the film concerns the silence of the academic community on this vital issue. I think it is extremely important and very well produced.
Morton Brussel, Professor Emeritus of Physics at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
“9/11 in the Academic Community” performs a valuable service by reminding us of what we already knew: that academics are seekers of truth, but especially comfortable truth.
Stephen LeRoy, Professor Emeritus of Economics at the
University of California Santa Barbara
Former Visiting Economist, U.S. Federal Reserve
I find the film “9/11 in the Academic Community” to be an accurate depiction of the state of discourse and “critical thinking” in the academy at large regarding the events of 9/11/2001.
Martin Walter, Professor and former Chair of Mathematics at the
University of Colorado at Boulder
Sloan, Woodrow Wilson, and National Science Foundation Fellow
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A winner of the 2011 University of Toronto Film Festival, “9/11 in the Academic Community” is a unique documentary that consists of interviews of recognized professors discussing their experiences regarding academia’s treatment of critical perspectives on 9/11. The film explores the nature and dimensions of the taboo of critically examining 9/11 on campus and the serious repercussions various academics had faced. Why do many professors aggressively identify with the Bush administration’s official narrative of 9/11 despite being harsh critics of the administration? How do students respond to literature critical of 9/11 in the classroom? And what is the relationship between universities and the government? Through a powerful reflection on intellectual courage and the purpose of academia, the film aims at changing intellectual discourse on 9/11.
This documentary is produced by Zuberi Productions, a group that was founded for the purposes of advancing knowledge and learning. All proceeds go to the cost of the production. This documentary is not for profit. This production would not have been possible without the financial support of the University of Toronto’s Hart House Film Board.
