Digital Library
Safe and on the Sidelines Jewish Students and the Israel-Palestine Conflict on Campus
Topic:
Israel & Regional Politics
Principal Investigators:
Abiya Ahmed, Ilana Horwitz, Jeremiah Lockwood, Marva Shalev Marom, Ari Y Kelman, Maja Zuckerman
Study Date:
2017
Source:
Stanford University
Key Findings:
In order to address concerns of antisemitism on college campuses, the research group of the Concentration in Education and Jewish Studies at Stanford University turned to Jewish students on five California campuses (UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Berkeley, SFSU and Stanford) thought to harbor high levels of anti-Israel activity. Contrary to widely shared impressions, researchers found a picture of campus life that is neither threatening nor alarmist. In general, students reported feeling comfortable on their campuses, and, more specifically, comfortable as Jews on their campuses.
Interviewees reported low levels of antisemitism or discomfort. When they did encounter discomfort, they traced it either to the carelessness of student speech or to tensions within campus debates about the Israel-Palestine conflict, which they characterized as strident, inflammatory, and divisive. They held both supporters and critics of Israel responsible for creating this environment. The tone of student activism created a divided campus that left little room for reasoned, productive debate.
Interviewees also expressed frustration at being drawn into campus debates about the Israel-Palestine conflict simply because they were Jewish. The majority of interviewees parsed differences between being Jewish and supporting Israel policy, and they objected to the expectation that their identity as Jews meant they held one kind of politics. As a result, these students often chose to avoid politics or organized Jewish life entirely.
Based on interviews with 66 undergraduate students at five California universities, researchers found:
- Students feel safe on campus
- Students reject the conflation of Jewish and Israel
- Students struggle with Israel
- Students find the tone of campus political activism in general, and around Israel and Palestine specifically, to be severe, divisive, and alienating
- Students who wish to speak up often opt out, choosing silence and avoidance over direct engagement
- Students avoid conflict by avowing ignorance
Methodology:
Researchers conducted 66 in-person interviews on five California campuses between December 2016 and May 2017. Interviews typically lasted about 90 minutes and consisted of two parts: a semi-structured script and a series of “think alouds,” in which interviewees were asked to respond to a series of statements.
Researchers intentionally sought out Jewish students who were either unengaged or minimally engaged in organized Jewish life on their campuses. Interviews were limited to second, third, and fourth year undergraduate students, in order to focus on those who have had enough time on campus to form their own impressions and develop their own sense of its political climate. Researchers contacted students through several channels including Jewish studies classes, student email lists, word-of mouth introductions to friends and acquaintances, and, at one campus, through a selection of the Hillel email list that consisted of students who only attended one or two events over two years. Participants were offered a $50 Amazon gift card as an incentive.