What's Behind the Unrest and Rising Challenges of Antisemitism at Columbia University and why now?

In the wake of the October 7th attacks in Israel, the atmosphere at Columbia University (and other universities across the USA) has profoundly shifted. The recent campus climate, marked by pro-Palestinian protests and heightened tensions, has starkly hit Jewish professors and students.

The university's decision to clear a protest encampment led to over a hundred arrests and Columbia President Minouche Shafik's involvement, particularly her decision to call in the NYPD, which has ignited a fierce debate over administrative responses to student activism. This incident not only reflects on Columbia but also resonates across various campuses nationwide, where similar protests have emerged with demands like divestment from Israeli firms and condemnation of Israel's military actions.

The Shift in Higher Education: From Economic Equity to Social Justice and Identity Politics

American higher education has undergone a profound transformation over the past few decades, shifting its focus from the pursuit of economic equity to a broader emphasis on social justice and identity politics. This transition reflects not only changes within academic institutions but also broader societal shifts in response to perceived and real inequalities.

Rise of Identity Politics and DEI on Campus

The landscape of U.S. universities, particularly those in the elite echelons, has seen a marked rise in identity politics, driven by a moral framework that categorizes individuals and groups into 'oppressors' and 'oppressed'. Jonathan Haidt highlights that this framework simplifies complex human interactions into binary categories, often overshadowing more nuanced understandings of individual and group dynamics. The "oppressed" in this context generally refers to groups historically marginalized or discriminated against due to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and economic background. In other words, we are talking about the women's protest movement, LGBT rights, Black Lives Matter, and more.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) model that has emerged prominently in higher education aims to address these disparities by ensuring that marginalized voices are heard and integrated into the educational fabric. However, this focus has sparked intense debate about the balance between fostering inclusivity and maintaining academic rigor and freedom. Critics argue that the intense focus on identity can sometimes lead to a form of cancel culture, where opposing viewpoints are silenced rather than debated. In this sense, when we look at what happens in American Universities, the claim is that cancel culture works on Jews these days without a right to defend themselves.

Mainstreaming of Progressive Ideologies

Fareed Zakaria observes that America's elite universities, once admired globally as beacons of knowledge and innovation, are increasingly viewed skeptically due to their perceived ideological shift. This mainstreaming of 'woke' ideologies correlates with broader economic and political changes. Following decades of neoliberal policies, which prioritized market solutions and individual entrepreneurship, there has been a societal pushback that seeks to address the negative outcomes of these policies—particularly social and economic inequalities.

The Preference for 'Woke' Ideologies Over Traditional Scholarship

The preference for progressive ideologies over traditional academic inquiry reflects a complex interplay of factors. As campuses become arenas for addressing systemic injustices, there is a growing tension between advancing scholarly research and engaging in activism. This shift is partly due to the institutional embrace of a new kind of moral duty, one that prioritizes emotional well-being and social justice over dispassionate inquiry and debate. According to Haidt and Lukianoff in "The Coddling of the American Mind," this trend is also driven by a generational shift towards protecting students from uncomfortable ideas and discussions, which they argue undermines resilience and robust scholarly debate.

In conclusion, the evolution of higher education from a focus on scientific discovery and intellectual rigor to an emphasis on social justice and identity politics reflects significant societal shifts. It can shed light on the sources that created these events on the campuses at this particular time after the October 7 slaughter in Israel by Hamas. These changes do not aim to conduct a historical about injustices but rather to provoke the false narratives of freedom and justice for Palestinians. However, let us be honest: For many years the propaganda mechanism that disguised countries and entities affiliated with Muslim Brotherhood funded students and campuses nationwide. They undermined the American order and notion of 'Soft Power.'

Therefor, USA academic leaders must reshuffle their beliefs and visions to gain back the power of education, service, research, and progression. With all due respect to DEI, when it comes to phenomena such as harassment, bullying, threats of the?death of Jews, and cancellation culture, there is no room for it whatsoever. The eyes of the whole world are on you. Come to your senses!

Bibliography:

1. Moshe Vardi, US Campus Antisemitism — How Did We Get Here? (Draft for comments): https://medium.com/@vardi/us-campus-antisemitism-how-did-we-get-here-draft-for-comments-25d16d8d2d2d
2. Fareed Zakaria, CNN-Com, WHY UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS ARE UNDER FIRE: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/08/opinions/israel-palestine-antisemitism-american-universities-zakaria/index.html
3. Haidt and Lukianoff in "The Coddling of the American Mind" : https://www.thecoddling.com
4. The Economist, 23 April, 2024: Efforts to tackle student protests in America have backfired badly. Police intervention at Columbia has provoked protests at other universities. https://www.economist.com/united-states/2024/04/23/efforts-to-tackle-student-protests-in-america-have-backfired-badly
5. Letter to NYPD, https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/content/letter-nypd