The Jews of the former Soviet Union have always been the subject of intense controversy. In the past 25 years, however, they have become more puzzling. How many of them are there? How strongly so they identify themselves as Jews? How do they perceive antisemetism in their countries? Will they leave, where will they go? Theses ate among the questions that have enlivened the discussions of Jews in republics known as the Commonwealth of Independent States. they have sparked debate because they have deep policy implications for Russia, Israel, the United States, and other countries. They are the questions which this book seeks to examine. Too little fact has informed this debate, and even less theory. Until very recently, surveys of the actual intentions, perceptions, motivations, and fears of Jews in the region were out of the question. This is now beginning to change. Here is the first book based on an on site survey of a representative sample of Jews in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In addition to providing data in the Jews of Moscow, Kiev, and Minsk- who collectively account for 28% of all Jews residing in the three Slavic republics of the CIS- the author places the survey results in their social and historical context. He explains why ethnic distinctiveness persisted and even became accentuated in the Soviet era and also describes the position of Jews in Soviet and post-Soviet society and some of the dilemmas they face. This book will be crucial reading for anyone interested not only in the general situation of the Jews of the former Soviet Union but also in their perceptions, worldviews, and plans for the future.
Robert J. Brym teaches in the Department of Sociology and the Center for Russian and East European Studies, University of Toronto.
"Passionate advocacy in clear, well-organized prose."-CHOICE, At the same time, this kind of feature is an example of perhaps the greatest virtue of this book - its ability to promote discussion. That a book lamenting our diminished freedom of speech has the ability to encourage more speech from its readers is a sign of a job well done.-The Law and Politics Book Review, The strongest attribute of Freeing Speech is its broad-based approach. It offers a holistic perspective (somewhat akin to the "intersectionality" preferred by critical legal studies scholars) to explore the dynamics of multiple forces that constitute the NSP... Because of it's approach, this work may be particularly instructive for undergraduates in political science departments, law students in specialized seminars on free speech or presidential war powers, and serious lay readers who hope for a synthetic overview on our current state of executive overreaching. For them, Denvir's clear and coherent writing style, infused with an admirable degree of rhetorical elegance, adds to the material's accessibility.-Concurring Opinions, "Denvir is one of our most lucid and inspiring writers on the constitutional law questions of today. He boldly confronts our most dangerous problems, such as the limitless national security powers of today's presidents, without the usual pretense that the Framers somehow handed down the answer. Instead, Denvir asks us as citizens to find or frame a contemporary constitutional limit to such dangerous power." -Charles A. Reich, author of "The Greening of America" "Denvir joins an analysis of the 'National Security Presidency' with an examination of the current state of free speech law to offer provocative suggestions for a First Amendment for our time, one that would provide us today with the information we need to govern ourselves." -Mark Tushnet, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law, Harvard Law School
