Research Against Contemporary and Traditional (REACT) Antisemitism

Antisemitic incidents in the direct aftermath of the October 7th massacre have increased dramatically across the world. In the United States, such incidents were up 388% over the same two-week period in 2022. Similarly, antisemitic incidents over the same time period increased by 1,350% in London alone and the French government documented an explosion of antisemitic incident, with more than 1,000 such incidents during the month following the October 7 massacre.

Unfortunately, although antisemitism is arguably one of the oldest forms of prejudice and hatred in the world, it has been heavily disregarded as a topic of scientific inquiry in the social sciences. For instance, although 2022 was the highest year on record for antisemitic incidents in the U.S., a quick Google Scholar search reveals that the term ‘antisemitism’ shows up only five times in research articles published during the same period in the top review journals in the social sciences (Annual Review of Psychology, Annual Review of Sociology, American Political Science Review, and American Economic Review).

It is time to correct that record, bring antisemitism to the forefront of academic discourse, and highlight its importance to the psychological, sociological, economic, and political sciences.

We are forming a network of researchers in psychology, sociology, economics, political science, and related fields to explore the many facets of antisemitism using the tools of the social sciences.

This is what we know best. This is how we fight back.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN REACT ANTISEMITISM

You probably have some questions. We may have some answers.

Can anyone join the REACT Antisemitism initiative?

YES. You don’t have to be Jewish to join. This network is open to any social scientists regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and/or sexual orientation. The only requirement is a willingness to devote at least 4 hours/week to fighting antisemitism, as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (see below).

What will this initiative entail?

The goal of this initiative is to be action oriented and bring antisemitism as a scientific topic of inquiry to the forefront of all fields across the social sciences. The concrete first step will be to complete at least 10 pre-prints devoted to the topic of antisemitism by October 1, 2024 (the end of the current Jewish year).

To achieve this goal, the network of researchers will be split into groups of 4-5 researchers, each devoted to a different research project. Each group will work independently on their research project, including the formulation of the research question, data collection and analyses, and writing the results.

Every 6 weeks, all working groups will meet virtually to share their progress, solicit feedback, and provide support for other group projects. By the end of the project, we will convene a research conference to share our results and discuss next steps.

What research projects are part of the REACT Antisemitism initiative?

Each working group will work on a project based on the interests of its members. Some examples of research projects include, but are not limited to:

The socialization of antisemitism among children, teenagers, and young adults
Text analyses of antisemitism on social media
Antisemitic victim blaming (and the denial/downplaying of October 7th)
Lay perceptions of the prevalence and importance of antisemitism (vs. other types of prejudice)
Media bias in the coverage of antisemitism (vs. other types of prejudice)
Antisemitism and anti-zionism in market decisions (hiring, promotions, consumer behavior, etc.)
The causes and consequences of viewing Jews as "White"
The spread of antisemitism on social networks and on social media
Exploring the role of AI in perpetuating and/or fighting antisemitism
The omission of antisemitism in EDI/DEI discourses, policies and action plans

What will my role in REACT Antisemitism entail?

Each working group will have a faculty Academic Organizer (who will be responsible for leading the research project, like a PI) and 3-4 researchers from any career stage. Your specific role will be determined in your working group and based on your skills and interests (e.g., data collection and analyses, machine learning, literature review, etc.). The only requirement is a willingness to commit to working 4 hours/week on the project.

Will I be able to publish my results?

YES! The goal of this initiative is to increase the visibility of antisemitism as an important and topic of scientific interest. Therefore, each working group will be encouraged to publish its results in high impact science journals. In addition, each working group will be asked to publish a preprint of their results as soon as possible.

Is there funding available?

To be honest, we don’t know yet. We are working on securing grants for this initiative, but for the time being each working group will be responsible for its own expenses. That being said, working groups will be encouraged to help each other with funding. This is the whole point of creating a network of researchers devoted to the topic. We are all here to help each other out.

I’m a graduate/undergraduate student. Can I join?

YES! Anyone can join. We will make sure to put you in a working group that complements your skills and interests.

How does REACT Antisemitism define ‘antisemitism’?

This initiative will follow the definition of antisemitism, as put forth by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance:

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities”

Contemporary examples of antisemitism in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in the religious sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are not limited to:

Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.
Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.
Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.
Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).
Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.
Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.