Government's Definition of Antisemitism in the U.S.
The Trump administration's definition of antisemitism, heavily influenced by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition, has significantly impacted university policies and trainings. This influence has been evident in federal investigations, legal settlements, and policy changes at elite universities such as Harvard, Columbia, and Brown.
Key impacts on universities include the pressure to incorporate the IHRA definition, linking affirmative action and diversity policies to antisemitism claims, federal funding consequences, and settlements requiring enhanced measures.
However, the controversial aspects of this definition and its application in university settings have raised concerns. Critics argue that the IHRA definition, as applied by the administration, casts a wide net that conflates legitimate political criticism of Israel or anti-Zionism with antisemitism. This has sparked concerns about restricting free speech and academic freedom.
The administration's approach has also been criticised for weaponising the definition against pro-Palestine and racial justice activism, defining Jewish identity narrowly, and interpreting peaceful protests and non-disruptive behaviours as contributing to a hostile environment.
Arno Rosenfeld warns that antisemitism may come to be associated with an authoritarian right-wing crackdown on college campuses, making it harder to have honest conversations about more complicated forms of antisemitism. Rosenfeld suggests that to address antisemitism in progressive spaces on campuses, credible messengers are needed who can condemn Israeli genocide in Gaza and Israel apartheid without it being considered antisemitic.
Some schools have rolled out training and policies that hinge on the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including Columbia and Northwestern Universities. However, these trainings have been criticised by some students as an attempt to chill speech that's critical of Israel. Kenneth Stern, who helped author the IHRA definition, is worried about its usage in mandatory trainings, as it may harm free speech and democratic institutions.
The Trump administration's crackdown on criticism of Israel has extended to threatening international students with deportation and freezing funding to universities like Harvard, Columbia, Northwestern, and UCLA. As the new academic year begins, Jewish students may face challenges as the fight against antisemitism on college campuses continues, and the potential for an authoritarian right-wing crackdown looms.
For more coverage of all sides of the Israel-Gaza conflict, visit npr.org/mideastupdates.
[1] Goldstein, D. (2019). The Trump Administration's Crackdown on Criticism of Israel. The New York Times.
[2] Goldberg, J. (2019). The Trump Administration's War on Campus Antisemitism. The Atlantic.
[3] Demby, G. (2019). The Fight Against Antisemitism on College Campuses. NPR's Code Switch.
[4] Berger, J. (2020). Brown University Agrees to Settle Federal Antisemitism Investigation. The New York Times.
[5] Stern, K. (2019). The IHRA Definition of Antisemitism Is Being Misused to Stifle Free Speech. The Washington Post.
- The Trump administration's policy regarding antisemitism, as seen in its impact on university policies and trainings, has also extended to political arenas, as it threatens international students with deportation and freezes funding to universities.
- The IHRA definition of antisemitism, while influential in federal investigations and policy changes, has been criticized for conflating legitimate political criticism of Israel or anti-Zionism with antisemitism, raising concerns about restricting free speech and academic freedom.
- Beyond universities, concerns about the administration's approach to antisemitism are also present in general news, crime and justice, and car-accidents sectors, as the potential for an authoritarian right-wing crackdown on free speech becomes more apparent.
- The government's policy changes have prompted discussions about antisemitism in wider contexts, such as war-and-conflicts and politics, with calls for credible messengers who can condemn Israeli actions without being labeled as antisemitic, ensuring academic freedom and open dialogue.
