Ep. 43: Challenges for Education: Conflicts over the Conflict in Schools (Prof. Dr. Meron Mendel – Bildungsstätte Anne Frank / Frankfurt UAS)

Guest: Prof. Dr. Meron Mendel, Bildungsstätte Anne Frank / Frankfurt UAS Hosts: Philip & Efe Bio: Prof. Dr. Meron Mendel is an educator, historian, and publicist. Since 2010, he has been the Director of the Anne Frank Educational Center in Frankfurt am Main and also serves as Professor of Transnational Social Work at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. He is considered one of the most important voices in Germany when it comes to issues of remembrance culture, antisemitism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in education and culture. For his work, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit in 2024 and together with his wife Saba-Nur Chema the Buber-Rosenzweig Medal in 2025. In this episode: We speak with Prof. Dr. Meron Mendel about the current escalation in the Middle East and its impact on politics, society, and education in Germany. Together we explore why the Israeli-Palestinian conflict provokes such deep divisions worldwide, how antisemitism and racism surface in this context, and what challenges schools are facing. Prof. Mendel discusses how teachers can reflect existing controversies in a multiperspectival way that allows students to engage critically and form their own opinions. We also look at political measures such as bans on symbols and restrictions on freedom of expression, and ask how educators should address the contentious debate surrounding the term genocide. This episode was recorded August 4, 2025. Links: Prof. Dr. Meron Mendel: https://www.meronmendel.de/ 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.