Register Now: https://queensu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IHocqAgKR7mnOcBsT4fX7A

The Jewish Studies Program and the School of Religion at Queen’s University will host an important discussion on the future of antisemitism and hate movements in the post-Trump period.

The Anti-Defamation League, as well as several researchers, have noted a marked rise in Antisemitic attacks and hate crimes during the Trump administration. The ADL, for instance, reported that according to their research, there was a 12% rise in Antisemitic incidents from 2018 to 2019 in the United States. The FBI also noted that hate crimes in general surged nearly 20% during the Trump administration. Much of this social polarization, misinformation, and loss of trust in social institutions also culminated in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, which involved numerous neo-Nazi, alt-right, and conspiratorial movements. Several individuals were also spotted wearing blatantly antisemitic clothing. As the Biden administration begins their work, it will be important to not only take stock of what happened over the last four years in the United States, understand racial and religious fault lines that pre-dated Trump, and work as much as possible to heal these divides going forward.

The Jewish Studies Program and the School of Religion have invited four distinguished speakers, with deep personal experience, to engage in this important discussion. The talk will be moderated by Dr. Amarnath Amarasingam, an Assistant Professor in the School of Religion.

The School of Religion wishes to acknowledge a disturbing incident took place that marred the question and answer period of our Donald Mathers Memorial Lecture by Dr. Kathryn Lofton of Yale University entitled “The Present Life of Blasphemy: Kanye West in American Popular Culture,” Tuesday afternoon February 2nd.  This public and widely advertised lecture-- attended by over 160 students, staff, faculty, and community members—was meant to enrich the content of our courses and curriculum and to foster intellectual and critical discussion on important issues of religion and race in public discourse and popular culture.  While Dr. Lofton’s presentation certainly accomplished that, it was also the target of malicious hacking that caused the event to be ended abruptly.

Because the circumstances of the ending did not allow for communication with those attending at that time, the School of Religion wishes now to recognize that the hackers’ vulgar language, obscene and violent images, and racist insignia displayed to our community was shocking, offensive, and terribly injurious.  As director, I deeply regret that many students of several of our courses, our colleagues, co-workers and the public experienced this distressing violation.  ITS is investigating the incident, which has been reported to all the relevant university and municipal authorities and offices.  I am so sorry that this happened.  We will take further measures in future to ensure that a space safe for critical inquiry and discussion can be preserved from such malign attempts.  We will endeavour to safeguard online public events with enhanced security measures.

We encourage you to avail yourselves of university resources. We would like to thank the RELS DSC for consulting on these resources that we think may be helpful. 

Adnan Husain

Director, School of Religion

Resources:

ASUS Student Wellness Services https://www.queensasus.com/resources

Peer support Centre http://amspeersupport.com

Student Wellness Services https://www.queensu.ca/studentwellness/

Faith and Spiritual Life https://www.queensu.ca/faith-and-spiritual-life/home

What is Kanye West? This talk will think about the career of the American rapper, songwriter, record, producer, entrepreneur, fashion designer and presidential candidate as an instance in the longer history of blasphemy. Dr. Lofton suggests that you cannot understand the secular without understanding Ye's particular brand of offense.

We are so thrilled to introduce our new faculty member Dr. Jorge Legoas P. To welcome Dr. Legoas to the department and get to know more about him we completed a virtual interview. Dr. Legoas is also teaching RELS 227- Indigenous traditions in N. America as well as RELS 809- Readings in Religion ll. The course descriptions for both of these courses will be available soon! Click here to read the full interview.

Hosted online on Tuesday, October 6th, at 5:30pm via Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/MSGPQU.