Call for Papers: Race & Antisemitism
Sonia Bloomfield
CFP: Race & Antisemitism, Special Issue of Journal of Jewish Identities
Call for Papers
Race & Antisemitism
Special Issue of Journal of Jewish Identities
In December of 2019, Donald Trump responded to the worldwide rise of antisemitism by issuing an executive
order asserting that “Discrimination against Jews may give rise to a Title VI violation when the
discrimination is based on an individual’s race, color, or national origin.” While some American Jews
believed the executive order provided welcome protection, others protested the racializing of Jewish
identity, expressed fears about a populist backlash, and rejected the notion that decisions regarding what
constituted Jewishness should be in the hands of the president. The COVID pandemic and recent international
uprisings against the state sanctioned killings of Black peoples have only added oil to the fiery
dispute. In response, some groups have embraced analogies between antisemitism and anti-Blackness;
others have emphasized the need to center difference to activate coalition building and enter into
collective mobilizations against white supremacy. Some who center difference have called attention to
the need for Jewish communities to recognize the experiences of Black Jews and Jews of color, who
experience both antisemitism and racism. Other proponents of difference, including the Nation of
Islam and Black Israelites, have re-introduced discussions about Black chosenness. As part of a
broader reckoning against white supremacy, these voices advocate for white Jews to decenter claims to
“authentic Judaism,” while clarifying how white Jews have been among the beneficiaries of a capitalist
system reliant on anti-Blackness.
In the midst of these debates, the Journal of Jewish
Identities seeks articles for a special issue
race and antisemitism to be edited by Laura Leibman
and Maxwell Greenberg. We seek diverse perspectives
that attend both to the history of these issues and
current manifestations. Possible topics might include:
- Where and when have the lines between racial and religious
antisemitism blurred?
- How does antisemitism and anti-blackness impact Jews who
experience both?
- To what extent does racism within Jewish communities
complicate discussions of antisemitism?
- How do segments of Jewish communities experience this nexus
of race and anti-semtism differently?
- How does the debate about Jews and race play out in
objects, architecture, film, photography, and other
media?
- What roles does science and technology play in the
(re)construction of Jewish identity?
- How do pandemics and natural disasters activate
antisemitism and racism?
- How has the internet changed the discussion of
antisemitism and race?
- How has the history of race and antisemitism changed
over the modern era, particularly in time periods
before the term antisemitism existed?
- How do issues such as gender and sexuality intersect with
antisemitism and racism?
- Racism is a space-making endeavor; might antisemitism also
manifest itself spatially?
We are interested in both standard article-length contributions (7,000-10,000 words) as well as shorter
annotations of documents, or objects (750-1000 words) and mini-articles on pedagogy (1000-1500 words).
Diverse theoretical and philosophical approaches and methodologies, interdisciplinary research studies, as
well as instructive case studies are particularly welcome. We particularly welcome underrepresented
voices in Jewish studies as well as a discussion of the issue in the context of Jews in Latin America,
Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean as well as an expansive definition of who counts as Jewish.
Submissions
Please send a proposal/abstract of no more than 500 words to Laura Leibman <lei...@reed.edu>
and Maxwell Greenberg <mxgre...@ucla.edu> by September 15, 2020 along with a 1-page CV. Queries
are welcome. Manuscripts can either be full-length articles (7,000-10,000 words) or indicate what type of
piece it will be (standard article, annotated document or object, etc.). Authors will be notified of
decisions by October 19, 2020. The due date for completed drafts is March 1, 2021.
Timetable
Deadline for queries
including 500 word proposals: September 15, 2020
Deadline for 7,000-10,000 word articles or shorter pieces: March 1, 2021
Deadline for fully revised manuscripts (responding to reviewer feedback): July
31, 2021
Inquiries and questions are welcome.
Submissions should be sent electronically to as Word e-mail
attachments, indicating "Journal of Jewish Identities:
Call for Papers" in the subject line. Manuscripts
should be prepared using the Chicago Manual of Style.
The preferred length for article manuscripts is 7,000
– 10,000 words, but shorter or longer submissions will
be considered and will be reviewed following the
Journals standard process. Please include an abstract
of 150 words (or less) and a biographical note. All
articles are anonymously reviewed. Submissions must be
in the English language and are considered for
publication on the understanding that the author(s)
offer the Journal of Jewish Identities, the exclusive
option to publish and that the paper is not currently
under consideration for publication elsewhere. It is
the responsibility of the author to obtain permission
for using any previously published material. Accepted
manuscripts become the permanent property of the
journal. Authors may, of course, use the article
elsewhere after publication without prior permission
from the Journal of Jewish Identities, provided that
acknowledgement is given to the Journal as original
source of publication, and that the Journal is
notified so that our records show that its use is
properly authorized.
The Journal of Jewish Identities is an interdisciplinary
peer-reviewed forum for contesting ideas and debates
concerning the formations of, and transformations in,
Jewish identities in its various aspects, layers, and
manifestations. The aim of this journal is to
encourage the development of theory and practice in a
wider spread of disciplinary approaches; to promote
conceptual innovation and to provide a venue for the
entry of new perspectives. Submissions are invited
from all fields in the Humanities and Social Sciences
and from the full range of methodologies. Diverse
theoretical and philosophical approaches and
methodologies, interdisciplinary research studies, as
well as instructive case studies are particularly
welcome. The Journal publishes empirical and
theoretical articles, documents, an occasional debate
section, as well as review essays and book reviews.
The Journal of Jewish Identities is published twice a
year.
For more information about
format see https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/journal-jewish-identities/author-guidelines