The Carolina Center for Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is hosting a three-day scholarly conference, April 10-12, to explore the historical and present-day resurgence of antisemitism in many parts of the world (including North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa).
“Reconsidering Antisemitism: Past and Present” will take place at the William and Ida Friday Conference Center and will feature more than 15 leading scholars from throughout the United States, France, Germany and Israel. The event will consist of two evening lectures and a series of in-depth panel discussions.
Stuart Eizenstat, a 1964 graduate who has held senior U.S. government positions in three presidential administrations, will give the opening talk on April 10. James Carroll, author of 11 novels and eight works of nonfiction, will give the keynote lecture on April 11.
Panel discussions will focus on the origins of anti-Judaism; the struggle over the memory of the Holocaust; medieval to modern antisemitism in Europe and the Middle East; and conceptions of Jews in Europe and America. Other highlights include a roundtable with journalists who cover antisemitism and a poster session featuring research by Carolina undergraduate students.
“This conference won’t solve the problem of antisemitism, but it is our belief that improved understanding and open discussion are the means to addressing the problem,” said Ruth von Bernuth, director of the Center, a part of UNC-Chapel Hill’s College of Arts and Sciences.
“Students will gain an understanding that goes far beyond what can be attained during classroom instruction. Community members will have the opportunity to stop and really consider what is going on in the world today. And members of the media and other professionals will gain insight into topics that can be difficult to address without any sense of history or scale.”
The full conference schedule, updated event information and online registration can be found at: jewishstudies.unc.edu. The conference is free and open to the public, but due to limited seating, advance registration is required for the panel sessions.
The conference is made possible due to private support. For the full list of sponsors go to: http://jewishstudies.unc.edu/events/reconsidering-antisemitism/.
Established in 2003, the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies in UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences promotes a deeper understanding of Jewish history, culture and thought through its teaching, research and community outreach initiatives. With a Bachelor of Arts undergraduate degree program and a certificate in Jewish Studies for graduate students, undergraduate minors in Jewish Studies and Modern Hebrew, more than 20 affiliated faculty members, more than 1,300 students taking Jewish Studies courses each year, and an active outreach program and popular lecture series, the Center is a dynamic resource on campus and beyond. Looking ahead, the Center has ambitious goals for expanding academic opportunities for Carolina’s students and the community. To learn more, please visit our Web site at: jewishstudies.unc.edu.
