Events

April 2, 2020 at 6:30 pm

Online Sociology & Anthropology Colloquium | Naming the Jew: Performative Antisemitism and the Alt-Right, April 23

Jacob Labendz, portrait

DR. Jacob Labendz

The Sociology & Anthropology Colloquium and Hillel at Ohio University present Dr. Jacob Labendz on “Naming the Jew: Performative Antisemitism and the Alt-Right” on Thursday, April 23 at 5:30 p.m., at the Zoom link: bit.ly/DRLABENDZHILLEL

Labendz directs the Center for Judaic and Holocaust Studies of Youngstown State University, where he is the Clayman Assistant Professor in the Department of History. Labendz writes, researches and teaches broadly in Jewish and antisemitism studies. With Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, he co-edited Jewish Veganism and Vegetarianism: Studies and New Directions (SUNY, 2019). He is currently working on the manuscript for A State of Ambivalence: Managing Jewish Difference in the Communist Czech Lands.

Labendz earned a Ph.D. in history from Washington University in St. Louis in 2014.

Abstract: Antisemitism plays a central role in white-nationalist ideologies and conspiracy theories. While the content of the Alt-Right’s antisemitism does not depart substantively from the bigotry of earlier white supremacist movements, the public performance of antisemitism has come to serve a novel function in 21st century USA. Understanding the specific role that performative antisemitism has played in the rise of the Alt-Right not only holds a key to fighting back, but may also provide a vantage point for considering broader themes in contemporary American politics, including the public performance of philosemitism—and its relationship to antisemitism.

Cosponsored by the Center for Judaic and Holocaust Studies at Youngstown State University and Hillel at Ohio University.

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