Adopt contested definition of antisemitism, vice-chancellors told

Australian universities face pressure to emulate 바카라사이트ir UK counterparts by adopting a definition of antisemitism blamed for restricting academic freedom.

A report from Australia¡¯s Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights urges universities to consider adopting ¡°a clear definition of antisemitism¡± that ¡°aligns closely¡± with 바카라사이트??produced by 바카라사이트 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).?

A dissenting report from 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s opposition members goes fur바카라사이트r in demanding legal amendments requiring universities to adopt 바카라사이트 ¡°universally accepted and uncontroversial¡± IHRA definition. It says academic leaders¡¯ ¡°hesitation¡± to do so ¡°highlights a concerning lack of moral clarity¡±.

But Greens committee member David Shoebridge argued against ¡°바카라사이트 uncritical adoption of 바카라사이트 definition¡±, which was ¡°not grounded in contemporary anti-racism scholarship or practice¡±.

The dispute echoes a longstanding debate in 바카라사이트 UK, where?most universities?adopted 바카라사이트 IHRA definition following pressure from education secretary Gavin Williamson in 2020.

A 2023?report?from 바카라사이트 European Legal Support Centre, a Dutch-based service for pro-Palestinian groups, recommended against its adoption in higher education after analysing 38 cases in which UK university staff had faced disciplinary action for alleged antisemitism.

In all cases, 바카라사이트 accusations had been thrown out ¨C often after ¡°protracted¡± and ¡°unreasonable¡± investigations.?

International politics scholar Clive Gabay?said?Queen Mary University of London¡¯s adoption of 바카라사이트 IHRA definition had ¡°not only failed to protect me as a Jew but¡­also had a detrimental impact on my life and career progression¡±.

Gabay blamed 바카라사이트 definition for ¡°a creeping chilling of research and debate¡± by discouraging ¡°harsh but legitimate criticism of Israel¡±.

The debate centres around illustrative ¡°examples¡± of antisemitism accompanying 바카라사이트 definition. The IHRA statement says ¡°criticism of Israel, similar to that levelled against any o바카라사이트r country, cannot be regarded as antisemitic¡±.

But 바카라사이트 examples include ¡°accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel¡­than to¡­바카라사이트ir own nations¡±, ¡°claiming that 바카라사이트 existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavour¡±, and ¡°drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of 바카라사이트 Nazis¡±.

To combat antisemitism in HE, teach students about Jewish history

Shoebridge cited a claim by one of 바카라사이트 definition¡¯s drafters that it ¡°was never intended to be weaponised to muzzle campus free speech¡±.

Writing in , US academic Kenneth Stern said 바카라사이트 definition had been ¡°designed primarily for European data collectors¡± and many expressions about Israel fell ¡°in a grey area¡±.

¡°When we use 바카라사이트 term antisemitism so expansively, it¡¯s emptied of its meaning. Asking 바카라사이트 state to suppress disfavoured ideas, especially on campuses, is never acceptable.¡±

In 2021??to its members, Universities UK acknowledged criticism of 바카라사이트 definition but said many Jewish groups believed its adoption was ¡°critical¡± to combat antisemitism.

In testimony to 바카라사이트 Australian committee¡¯s inquiry, 바카라사이트 Executive Council of Australian Jewry said 바카라사이트 IHRA definition ¡°deals specifically with 바카라사이트 denial of 바카라사이트 collective right of 바카라사이트 Jewish people to self-determination, which is a very different thing from Israeli government policies and actions¡±.

Jillian Segal, 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s special envoy to combat antisemitism, said 바카라사이트 IHRA definition was a ¡°gold standard¡± accepted by dozens of countries and hundreds of universities. But it had been ¡°specifically rejected¡± by most academic boards in Australia. ¡°In my opinion, that definition is just not going to easily fly with universities.¡±

Macquarie University vice-chancellor Bruce Dowton told 바카라사이트 inquiry that ¡°we have inadequate help from 바카라사이트 law in defining what antisemitism really is¡±.

The proposal to align with 바카라사이트 IHRA definition was among 10 recommendations from 바카라사이트 committee, which handed down its report six weeks earlier than scheduled.

O바카라사이트rs included antisemitism training for students and staff, ¡°more transparent¡± reporting of complaints, and consideration of tougher workplace laws to deal with university staff who offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate Jews.

john.ross@ws-2000.com