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Many donors, politicians and Jewish students have pressured their colleges to confront **antisemitism** more forcefully. But one challenge can make the whole exercise feel like quicksilver.
Quick Facts
- University administrators and federal bureaucrats are debating the definition of **antisemitism**.
- The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of **antisemitism** is a point of contention.
- Debates over how to define **antisemitism** have sparked controversy on university campuses.
University administrators and federal bureaucrats are embroiled in a bitter debate over the definition of **antisemitism**. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition, which includes a series of examples that some find alarming, has become a focal point of the discussion. Supporters argue that this definition is necessary to combat behavior against Jews, while critics claim it conflates **antisemitism** with anti-Zionism and is intended to shield Israel from criticism.
Debates over how to define **antisemitism** have become contentious on university campuses, with task forces at Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia University facing criticism for their stances on the I.H.R.A. definition. The Trump administration’s executive order in 2018 further intensified the debate, and the Biden administration is now considering issuing a regulation based on it.
The ongoing dispute over the definition of **antisemitism** has significant implications for free expression and civil rights, with universities and government agencies grappling with how to address and respond to behavior and speech that may be considered **antisemitic**.
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