Lecture
Professor David Peimer
Saturday 4.07.2026
Professor David Peimer
American Independence Day: The American Dream in Literature and Film
Saturday 4.07.2026
How to watch
This lecture starts on 4 July at 5:00pm (UK).
Summary
Einstein said the tragedy of the German Jew was the tragedy of “unrequited love.” Obviously, today’s America, or the West more broadly, is not Germany in the 1930s. But in our times, is Einstein accurate or not about questions of identity and belonging—the tension between assimilation and exclusion? Ultimately, can the outsider, Jewish or not, achieve the Dream and belong? Join us as we explore these vital questions through the context of great literature and film.
Professor David Peimer
David Peimer is a Professor of Literature, Film and Theatre in the UK. He has worked for the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, New York University (Global Division) and was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University. Born in South Africa, David has won numerous awards for playwriting and directing. He has most recently directed Dame Janet Suzman in his own play, Joanna’s Story, at London Jewish Book Week. He has published numerous books, including Armed Response: Plays from South Africa and the digital book Theatre in the Camps. He is on the board of the Pinter Centre (London), and has been involved with the Mandela Foundation, Vaclav Havel Foundation and directed a range of plays at Mr Havel’s Prague theatre.