- Anna Zawadzka, Polish Academy of Sciences: Antisemitic triggers. The causal power of anti-Zionist discourse
- Alec Z. Rosłońska, C-REX, University of Oslo: Responses to antisemitism in Jewish communities
- Geshe Gerdes, University of Passau: Antisemitism, misogyny and authoritarianism within the incel movement
- Vibeke Moe, Norwegian Centre for Holocaust and Minority Studies: Mainstream narratives or fringe expressions? An investigation of a growing pro-Palestinian mainstream and the public acceptance of antisemitic hate speech
Abstracts
Antisemitic triggers. The causal power of anti-Zionist discourse
Anna Zawadzka, Polish Academy of Sciences
On the basis of historical and contemporary examples, I would like to show which antisemitic clichés, myths and motifs have been present in the anti-Zionist discourse. I am particularly interested in the figure of the Jews as oppressors: colonisers, invaders, lobbyists, torturers, fascists, or even nazis. My aim is to trace the reasons for this enormous emotional investment of public opinions in the construction of the image of the Jews as perpetrators. To demonstrate the causal power of anti-Zionism, I will focus on the forms of antisemitic violence it generates: stigmatisation, harassment, intimidation, isolation, confiscating property, and exile. The field of comparative exploration will be the events of 1967-1968 in Poland - the anti-Zionist campaign that culminated in the exodus of Jews - and the reactions of Western and Polish left-wing milieu to the Hamas attack of October 7th, and its aftermath.
Responses to antisemitism in Jewish communities
Alec Z Rosłońska, C-REX, University of Oslo
This paper will discuss insights from interviews with Jewish community leaders and researchers of antisemitism, focusing on how Jewish communities respond to antisemitism. It takes a comparative approach, looking at the situation in Poland and the United Kingdom. Antisemitism remains a persistent issue across Europe forcing communities, governments, and international organizations to react in various ways. The responses range from individuals (perceptions of threat, reporting habits) through community-led initiatives, to NGOs cooperating with the government and beyond. Based on the interview data I explore these different responses and compare then across the two countries. I find that in the UK the community-led response mechanisms, as well as community cooperation with the government is more developed, although prone to underreporting. In Poland the first community-led initiative of reporting antisemitism was launched in 2022 and relied mostly on reports from project volunteers. However, in both countries Jews frequently consider antisemitism part of their lives and are likely to dismiss it unless it takes an extreme form. I argue that these responses are to an extent shaped by the recent history of antisemitism in both countries.
Antisemitism, misogyny and authoritarianism within the incel movement
Gesche Gerdes, University of Passau
In my talk, I will focus on the so-called incel movement as a contemporary expression of anti-democratic authoritarian rebellion in which antisemitism and misogyny are intersectionally fused. The “black pill ideology” of the incel community has so far been analysed primarily for its extreme misogyny. Meanwhile, the fact that incels sporadically express antisemitic views and, unlike other manosphere groups, are consistently highly critical of neoliberal capitalism has gone largely unanalysed. Thus, previous research has failed to consider that, according to Moishe Postone, a truncated 'anti-capitalism' is fundamental to modern antisemitism. Furthermore, analyses of the incel worldview have not considered the socio-historical co-occurrence of ideologies such as antisemitism with sexism, misogyny and anti-feminism.
To address these research gaps, I will examine the incel movement and its ideology using the framework of the authoritarian personality developed by Theodor W. Adorno and others in the 1940s, as well as Karin Stögner's concept of the intersectionality of ideologies. This approach allows me to focus on how antisemitism and misogyny intertwine to form the anti-democratic authoritarian syndrome under contemporary neoliberal economic conditions, while also highlighting the importance of sexuality and gender in the constitution of authoritarian personalities.
Mainstream narratives or fringe expressions? An investigation of a growing pro-Palestinian mainstream and the public acceptance of antisemitic hate speech.
Vibeke Moe, The Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies
Since the Holocaust a norm of anti-antisemitism has been prevalent in Western societies. Explicit antisemitism became associated almost exclusively with certain fringe communities. However, digital media has modified this tendency and been followed by a spread of antisemitic hate speech online.
Hamas’ terrorist attack in Israel on October 7th, 2023, and the ensuing war on Gaza has unleashed a global wave of antisemitism. Like previous periods of high tension in the Middle East, there has been a registered increase in antisemitic hate crime. Jewish communities in Europe report a sense of increased insecurity.
No consensus exists regarding the definition of antisemitism and what can be defined as expressions of antisemitism. Central to the debate is the question of where to draw the line between (legitimate) criticism of Israel and (illegitimate) hate speech against Jews. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is accompanied by weaponization of antisemitism.
With examples from Norway the presentation will discuss whether a polarised public debate following the war in Gaza has impacted what is perceived as the boundaries of acceptable speech. Is there a mainstreaming of antisemitic hate speech?