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Date: July 4, 2024
Time: 19:00
Location: Oranienburger Straße 28, Berlin
Event Description
Join us for the book launch of “Responses to 7 October,” a major three-volume anthology of diverse intellectual responses to and reactions to the horrific acts perpetrated by Hamas on October 7. David Hirsh, co-editor, and Anna Zawadzka, contributor, will introduce the book and provide insights into its creation and the significance of its contents.
This joint event is organized by the International Institute for Education and Research on Antisemitism, the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, the AJC Berlin Ramer Institute, and the Jewish Community of Berlin.
Book Overview
Responses to 7 October: Antisemitic Discourse
This volume examines the ideology that fueled the attacks and the antisemitism prevalent in the responses. It explores the historical and contemporary sources of Jew-hatred, from English history to Palestinian Islamism and the distortion of Trotskyist traditions. With discussions from Britain, Germany, Poland and Norway, it provides a comprehensive analysis of the responses, including Howard Jacobson’s lecture on antisemitism.
Responses to October 7: Law and Society
This volume begins with a legal critique of the accusation of genocide against Israel and reflects on the lack of understanding of antisemitism in international law. It includes reflections on the Palestine solidarity movement and the evolution of its discourse. Contributors draw from Judaism, feminism, and sociology to analyze the events and their impact on global antisemitism, with a focus on Britain and Germany.
Responses to 7 October: Universities
This volume examines contemporary antisemitic thinking within academia and student discourse. It revisits historical debates from Sartre to Marx and analyzes responses to violence, drawing parallels with the 1967 Arab League aggression. The volume examines antisemitism within the feminist movement and progressive circles, providing insights into how it is tolerated and protected on campuses.
About the Speakers
David Hirsh
David Hirsh is Academic Director and CEO of the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK. He is a co-editor of the anthology, bringing his extensive expertise in sociology and contemporary antisemitism to the project.
Anna Zawadzka
Anna Zawadzka, a contributor to the anthology, is an assistant professor at the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences and a member of the Center for Cultural and Literary Studies of Communism. Her contributions provide a critical perspective on the discourse of antisemitism and its historical context.