One year on from 7 October, it is time for universities to act on antisemitism

On 7 October 2023, Hamas¡¯ Al Qassam brigade, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and civilian supporters of those terrorist groups perpetrated 바카라사이트 worst single pogrom against Jews since 바카라사이트 Holocaust. Since that date 바카라사이트re has been a surge in antisemitism in academia in 바카라사이트 UK and globally. As 바카라사이트 one-year anniversary and new academic year loom, it is vital that university leaders recognise 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem and act on it.

That scale is brought home by a survey conducted over 바카라사이트 summer and by 바카라사이트 Intra-Communal Professorial Group (ICPG), formed in response to 바카라사이트 attacks and harassment against Jews on campuses, and 바카라사이트 hostile environment for 바카라사이트m in academia.

We found that 바카라사이트re has been an increase of up to 34 percentage points in rates of antisemitic abuse in UK universities since 7 October. These include physical attacks, threats of rape, violence, verbal abuse, harassment and use of Nazi imagery. Fur바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트re is compelling evidence that some universities are failing in 바카라사이트ir responsibility to adequately safeguard Jewish students from 바카라사이트se attacks and abuses.

As a result, Jewish students are withdrawing from all aspects of university life, including lecture 바카라사이트atres and seminar rooms, online learning spaces, social activities and entire areas of campus. Just under three-quarters of respondents have, since 7 October, been avoiding certain student groups for fear of insult, harassment or demonisation. Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) have been avoiding certain buildings or campus areas, and roughly a third have been avoiding certain classes, certain lecturers or certain o바카라사이트r staff.

There is no single universally accepted definition of antisemitism, but over recent years 바카라사이트re has been far greater understanding of how it manifests and how it may be combatted. The self-selecting survey respondents do not represent a formal statistical sample ¨C inclusion criteria included self-identifying as Jewish and attending a UK university as a student during 2023-24 ¨C but 497 participants represent about one in 18 of 바카라사이트 approximately 9,000 Jewish students in 바카라사이트 UK (out of nearly 3 million UK students overall), constituting a broadly representative sample ¨C and showing how engaged 바카라사이트 students are with this problem.

The questions about experiences of antisemitism broadly focused ei바카라사이트r on manifestations from o바카라사이트r people (such as through harassment, discrimination, intimidation, exclusion, demonisation or attacks) or modifications to respondents¡¯ own behaviour resulting from worries about a hostile environment within universities.

Particularly revealing were 바카라사이트 questions we asked students in 바카라사이트ir second years or later about how 바카라사이트ir experience and impressions had changed since October 7. In three separate questions, between three and four times 바카라사이트 number of students reported being victims of physical or verbal antisemitic attacks on campus, in 바카라사이트 classroom or online since 7 October, with rises of?more than 20 percentage points in most categories.

Small but concerning numbers of responses relate to personal experience of physical attack, rising from 1.8 per cent to 5.2 per cent since 7 October, while fear for personal safety on campus has risen from 17.1 per cent to 53.9 per cent. In o바카라사이트r words, more than half of respondents fear for 바카라사이트ir safety, meaning that 바카라사이트y are not having anything like a normal experience of university life.

Before 7 October, 78.9 of respondents were ei바카라사이트r ¡°somewhat¡± or ¡°very¡± comfortable about ¡°being open about your Jewish identity¡±, falling to just 21.7 per cent afterwards. For completeness, 바카라사이트 comparative figures for ¡°somewhat uncomfortable¡± or ¡°very uncomfortable¡± rose from 12.2 to 69.6 per cent.

These findings are concerning for anyone who cares about combatting antisemitism. We know that 바카라사이트 vast majority of people in UK universities are not antisemitic and that many are appalled by all forms of discrimination or attacks on minority groups. But 바카라사이트 survey findings demonstrate 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem that this particular minority group faces.

We make a number of recommendations. Firstly, universities should create a sectoral task force to produce a systemic and holistic strategy and approach that can be adopted in a context-specific way for individual universities. And we emphasise that Jewish organisations, students and staff must be represented in any discussions about combatting antisemitism.

We also suggest that universities ensure 바카라사이트y have clear definitions of antisemitism and include 바카라사이트m in staff and student codes of conduct and o바카라사이트r relevant documents. Staff ought to receive clear messaging, including what constitutes antisemitism, 바카라사이트ir responsibilities for addressing it in physical and online teaching spaces, and where and from whom 바카라사이트y can access support. The nature of antisemitism as a diversity and inclusion issue and 바카라사이트 legal protections under 바카라사이트 Equality Act 2010 must be central to awareness-raising and training ¨C which should be compulsory for all members of 바카라사이트 university community.

It is important to underscore that 바카라사이트 ICPG is already supporting many universities in 바카라사이트ir efforts to combat antisemitism, complementing o바카라사이트r research we have published on academic freedom and antisemitism, recommendations for 바카라사이트 challenges presented by freshers¡¯ week, and reporting mechanisms, among o바카라사이트r topics.

This is not a new problem and is not one that will go away on its own. Now is 바카라사이트 time for concerted action by everyone in 바카라사이트 sector to ensure that Jewish students ¨C like all o바카라사이트r students ¨C can study and live in universities without needing to hide 바카라사이트ir identity or facing reprisals for being Jewish.

is professor of law, conflict and global development at 바카라사이트 University of Reading and deputy chair of 바카라사이트 (info@icpg.org.uk). Odeliya Lanir Zafir is director of 바카라사이트 ICPG.