What Constitutes Antisemitism in This Context?

When a professor assigns work by a notable antisemite without appropriate academic context or critical analysis, the act may perpetuate antisemitism in the following ways:

1. Endorsement Without Critique: Presenting the text as a valid scholarship or a critical source of thought without acknowledging or addressing the antisemitic elements or the author's prejudices.

2. Failure to Contextualize: Neglecting to provide historical or academic context that highlights the author’s controversial and discriminatory views, leading students to perceive the content as neutral or universally accepted.

3. Explicit Antisemitic Content: Assigning a text with overt antisemitic language, accusations, or tropes (e.g., blood libel, conspiracy theories about Jewish control of media or finance) without clear academic justification.

4. Promotion of Hate Speech: Using writings from figures such as Sayyid Qutb, who is known for promoting hatred against Jews, as tools for advocacy rather than education.

When to File a Complaint:

1. Assess for Policy Violation:

• Determine if the assignment violates university policies on maintaining an inclusive and non-hostile learning environment.

2. Evaluate Professor's Response:

• Check if the professor fails to critique or address antisemitic content, thereby perpetuating harmful stereotypes or tropes.

3. Analyze Academic Relevance:

• Confirm if the assigned material lacks clear academic value or relevance, particularly when antisemitic content is central and remains unexamined.

4. Consider the Learning Environment:

• Reflect on whether the inclusion of the material creates a hostile environment, making Jewish students feel targeted, excluded, or unsafe.

When NOT to File a Complaint:

1. Check for Academic Context:

• Verify if the material is assigned to critically analyze antisemitic rhetoric, with the professor explicitly highlighting its problematic nature as part of the lesson.

2. Determine Relevance to Course Objectives:

• Ensure the text serves a legitimate academic purpose (e.g., studying extremist ideologies) and is discussed with appropriate disclaimers and academic framing.

3. Assess Discussion Facilitation:

• Confirm if the professor provides an open and balanced discussion, enabling critical engagement with the material's context and implications.

📩Click here for an email draft you can use to report the incident to a Department Head 📩