James Petras

James Petras ( born January 17, 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts ) is a Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Saint Mary's University in Halifax ( Nova Scotia ), Canada. He writes on political issues in Latin America and the Middle East.

Life and work

Petras received his doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley. In 1972 he joined the Sociology Department of Binghamton University. 1982-1984 he was director of the Institute for Mediterranean Studies in Athens.

Petras is the author of 62 books that have been translated into 29 languages ​​and 600 professional articles and press articles in 2000 and describes itself as a " revolutionary and anti - imperialist activist and author ." He worked for the Brazilian landless movement MST and 1973-76 was a member of the Russell Tribunal on Repression in Latin America.

Books for " Israel lobby in the U.S."

Petras ' most recent book Rulers and Ruled in the U.S. Empire: Bankers, Zionists, Militants (2008 ) deals with what he calls the baleful influence of American Jews on U.S. foreign policy. After the publisher Clarity Press, the book points to the global hegemony that " the financial ruling class, the Zionist power constellation and collaborating with them, legislative clientele " represents.

In The Power of Israel in the United States Petras quotes from the Forbes Magazine that American Jews represent less than 2 % of the population, but 25 to 30% of the richest families. He explains that they use their wealth effectively. So he quotes Richard Cohen ( Washington Post), after which they fund the Republican Party to the Democrats and 35 % to 60% over party donations.

Were an article of 2006 entitled " 9/11 anti - Semitic Conspiracy Theories Still Abound " the Anti-Defamation League criticized Petras ' assertion that there was evidence that "the Israelis " may have the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 informed this information would be held back by the U.S. government as an anti -Semitic conspiracy theory. Other critics accuse Petras of anti-Semitism.

Awards

From the Western Political Science Association Petras received the 1968 prize for the best dissertation. The Marxist Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association awarded him the Distinguished Service Award. For the best book of the year 2002 he received the Robert Kenny Award.

Selected Bibliography

• Rulers and Ruled in the U.S. Empire: Bankers, Zionists and Militants, Clarity Press, Inc., 2007, ISBN 978-0932863546
• The Power of Israel in the United States, Clarity Press, Inc., 2006, ISBN 0-932863-51-5 Master or servant? . Zambon. 2008