“October 7: The Wars Over Words and Deeds” with Asaf Romirowsky

Description

In this episode of the Middle East Forum’s weekly podcast series, host Lauri Regan is joined by Asaf Romirowsky, executive director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East and the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa.

Romirowsky discusses October 7: The Wars Over Words and Deeds, a new edited volume examining the geopolitical, cultural, and academic consequences of Hamas’s October 7 atrocities. Drawing on contributions from leading scholars, the book explores how Islamist narratives, disinformation, and ideological activism have reshaped discourse in Western institutions , particularly on American college campuses.

The conversation focuses on the failure of academic rigor in Middle East studies, the role of foreign funding and activist networks in higher education, and what Romirowsky describes as the “political economy of antisemitism.” He also addresses the post-October 7 surge in campus radicalization, the convergence of extremist ideologies, and the broader implications for American democratic institutions.

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