Emory University in the US launches center to counter antisemitism
Emory University in Atlanta, United States, has launched an academic center that will develop practical strategies to counter the rise of antisemitism at the public policy level. The Emory Policy Institute for Countering Antisemitism, or EPICA, was founded and will be led by Holocaust historian and former US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt, the Jerusalem Post reports.
The institute is funded by private donations. Its task is to combine academic research with public policy development. EPICA will conduct interdisciplinary research, organize public discussions, and train future policy professionals.
Program for students
In January 2027, the institute plans to launch a fellowship program for third- and fourth-year students in good academic standing. Its participants will be able to interact directly with policymakers, take part in study trips to Washington, and complete summer internships on Capitol Hill and at think tanks.
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Student fellows will prepare research related to the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism. Lipstadt presented this international framework in a speech in Buenos Aires in 2024; it was supported by dozens of states and multilateral organizations. Among the document's recommendations is the use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.
Work with governments and universities
Lipstadt explained that the term “countering,” rather than “combating,” was deliberately used in the institute's name. According to her, antisemitism is a persistent problem that changes over time and therefore requires sustained work.
She also noted that EPICA's activities will not be directed only at federal governments. The institute will consider how universities and other institutions can recognize and counter the problem of antisemitism.
