The Seeds of Campus Antisemitism

My latest work on similarities between Heideggerian philosophy and identity synthesis ideology

The Institute for the Global Study of Antisemitism Policy (ISGAP) recently published my work in their “Occasional Paper Series.” My paper, The Seeds of Campus Antisemitism: Similarities Between Heideggerian Philosophy and Identity Synthesis Ideology, discusses the similarities between underlying philosophies of our contemporary age and that of the early 20th century, both which, I argue, give rise to anti-Jewish attitudes and the behaviors seen in our universities and on city streets today and in the 1930s.

One of the most shocking aspects of the October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel was the immediate response that followed—not just in the Middle East, but in Western countries and, most disturbingly, in academic institutions. Across Europe and the United States, university communities staged protests in support of Hamas, the terrorist group responsible for what many Israelis have termed “Shoah 10/7,” or Holocaust 10/7.

To understand how and why such support for terrorism and hatred is possible, we must look back to the philosophical currents that shape a society’s dominant culture. At first, these ideas often appear virtuous, innocent, or redemptive on the surface, especially in times of deep polarization or despair. They often make no initial direct mention of Jews. Yet, as my paper demonstrates, these seemingly benign philosophies can be twisted into dangerous ideologies that subtly foster pervasive antisemitism in institutions, public platforms, journalism, and all of society.

The full paper can be found here: Sabrina Soffer, ISGAP Occasional Paper Series, Number 7, January 2025. The Seeds of Campus Antisemitism: Similarities Between Heideggerian Philosophy and Identity Synthesis Ideology.