Ep. 29: Political Analysis & Debate: Prof. Dr. Kenneth S. Stern (Bard Center for the Study of Hate, USA)

Guest: Professor Kenneth S. Stern, Director, Bard Center for the Study of Hate Host: Yusuf Bio: Professor Kenneth Stern is the Director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate, which also supports Bard College Berlin. He is an attorney, author, and leading global expert on antisemitism and extremism. For 25 years, he directed the division on antisemitism and extremism at the American Jewish Committee and later led the Justus & Karin Rosenberg Foundation. Stern was the lead drafter of the working definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in 2016. He served as a special advisor to the defense team in the landmark London Holocaust denial case David Irving v. Deborah Lipstadt and testified before the U.S. Senate in 2024 and 2025 on the rise of antisemitism. Stern was also an invited presenter at the White House Conference on Hate Crimes. His books include A Force Upon the Plain: The American Militia Movement and the Politics of Hate (University of Oklahoma Press, 1996), a National Book Award nominee, and The Conflict Over the Conflict: The Israel/Palestine Campus Debate (University of Toronto Press, 2020)—widely regarded as an essential guide to campus discourse. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and The Guardian. In this Episode: Marking the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Yusuf speaks with Professor Stern about antisemitism, extremism, and political polarization in a divided world. Stern reflects on the global surge in antisemitism since October 7, 2023, and its implications for Jewish communities and democratic societies. The conversation addresses how antisemitism is tracked and expressed on U.S. and German campuses and explores the balance between protecting students and preserving free speech. Stern discusses the influence of social media, debates around the IHRA definition, and how to distinguish legitimate criticism of Israel from antisemitic rhetoric. Drawing on decades of experience, he outlines how governments, universities, and civil society can respond to rising hate and democratic erosion. This episode was recorded on August 28, 2025. Links: Stern, Kenneth S., editor. Simply Human: Understanding Hatred and How to Combat It. University of Toronto Press, 2023. https://doi.org/10.3138/9781487551834 Stern, Kenneth S. The Conflict Over the Conflict: The Israel/Palestine Campus Debate. University of Toronto Press, 2020. https://utppublishing.com/doi/book/10.3138/9781487507367 Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing – September 17, 2024: https://tinyurl.com/yyvvtt5n Sway: AI tool that helps students have difficult conversations on campus https://www.swaybeta.ai/demo https://tinyurl.com/73hk4rpd Disclaimer: Guest opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast team. Technical legal terms are explained in Episode 36 with Prof. Claus Kreß; contested histories are addressed by Prof. Gudrun Krämer in Episode 21.