‘Where does that leave me? Isolated, alone, afraid, withdrawing’: Impacts of antisemitism and responses among Jewish faculty and staff in Canadian higher education

Abstract

Abstract

The October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas was a significant trauma for Jewish people in the diaspora. In the time since, Jewish people have experienced heightened levels of antisemitism, specifically at university and college campuses. To understand the impact of antisemitism, we draw on the frameworks of minority and racism-related stress, which describe stressors that are unique to those of minoritized or racialized groups. This study draws on semi-structured interviews with 35 Jewish faculty and staff in Canadian higher education. We document the impacts of antisemitism and highlight the responses that these faculty and staff members employed to cope. Findings show impacts on mental health, social and professional well-being, and self-doubt in reaction to ambiguous experiences of antisemitism. In response, participants employed individual coping strategies such as hiding identity and, conversely, displaying identity more openly. Collectively, coping mechanisms included building Jewish communities on campus and engaging in campus advocacy and institutional change. The results reveal the strength and resilience of Jewish academics in the face of profound stress and point to important opportunities for intervention at both individual and institutional levels.