Antisemitism and Islamophobia are not equivalent forms of discrimination on US campuses.

Evidence

Antisemitism is not the primary or only problem to address on US campuses, and Islamophobia and antisemitism are not equivalent forms of discrimination at this moment. This is due to two reasons: compulsory Zionism and the weaponization of antisemitism by US Congress. First, Zionism is normalized in the United States, or as Umayyah Cable states, Zionism is compulsory. Cable writes that compulsory Zionism not only manifests as a hegemonic discourse that requires and naturalizes unwavering support for Israel, but it also “functions to obscure Palestinian intellectualism, labor, and existence.” Accordingly, US government support for Israel and Zionism results in a clear condemnation of antisemitism, but the same cannot be said for Islamophobia. Since 2014, more than thirty US states have created anti-BDS laws to prevent individuals, organizations, and businesses from boycotting, divesting from, and calling for the sanction of Israel. Such laws normalize protecting Zionist interests in the United States. There is no equivalent law in place to protect Palestinian human rights. — Evelyn Alsultany, Antisemitism and Islamophobia The…, 25

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the broader academic debate on the comparability of antisemitism and Islamophobia, and to work by Cable on compulsory Zionism. — connects to: Federal investigations of campus bias target antisemitism but ignore Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism. — Evelyn Alsultany, Antisemitism and Islamophobia The…, 26; University DEI responses frame antisemitism and Islamophobia symmetrically while omitting the Israeli-Palestinian context. — Evelyn Alsultany, Antisemitism and Islamophobia The…, 12
• SEED: Angle for an explainer: how anti-BDS laws structurally favor antisemitism education over Islamophobia education on campuses.

Broader Connections

• Federal investigations of campus bias target antisemitism but ignore Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism. #corroborates (0.80) — Evelyn Alsultany, Antisemitism and Islamophobia The…, 26
• University DEI responses frame antisemitism and Islamophobia symmetrically while omitting the Israeli-Palestinian context. #contradicts (0.75) — Evelyn Alsultany, Antisemitism and Islamophobia The…, 12