The Anti-Zionist Idea: History, Theory, and Politics at Columbia University

Columbia University will host a day-long academic workshop titled The Anti-Zionist Idea: History, Theory, Politics on Thursday, May 7, 2026, organized by scholars from the University of Toronto and Princeton University. The event, held at the university’s Center for Palestine Studies, aims to explore the intellectual and political dimensions of anti-Zionism through a series of panel discussions.

The workshop is structured around four panels, each examining different aspects of anti-Zionism, including its conceptual foundations, historical conditions, contemporary contestations, and counter-histories. Organizers Esmat Elhalaby, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, and Max Weiss, an associate professor at Princeton University, have framed the event as an effort to create space for critical dialogue on the subject.

Workshop Structure and Participants

The event will begin with an introduction by Nadia Abu El-Haj, a professor at Columbia University and co-director of the Center for Palestine Studies. The first panel, Concepts, will feature Sulieman Hodali of Stanford University, Sonali Thakkar of New York University, and Elhalaby, with Thakkar serving as chair.

The second panel, Conditions, will include Maya Wind from the University of California, Riverside, and Heike Schotten from the University of Massachusetts Boston, with Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian of Princeton University as chair. Following a lunch break, the third panel, Contestations, will feature Emmaia Gelman of the Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism and Samiha Khalil of the University of California, Berkeley, with Weiss as chair.

The final panel, Counterhistories, will include Jehad Abusalim of New York University and Ahmad Shokr of Swarthmore College, with Manan Ahmed of Columbia University as chair. The workshop is open to the public, though registration is required.

Academic Context and Objectives

According to materials published by the organizers, the workshop seeks to address what they describe as a central problematic of anti-Zionism, particularly in light of ongoing debates within academic and public discourse. The event is positioned as an opportunity to examine anti-Zionism not only as a critique internal to the Jewish community but also as part of broader political and social movements.

The workshop’s description notes that while anti-Zionism is often equated with antisemitism in public discourse, it is also increasingly framed as a legitimate Jewish tradition. The organizers argue that these debates have become particularly contentious in university settings, where discussions about Zionism and its alternatives have grown more polarized.

The event’s promotional materials reference Arthur Hertzberg’s 1959 book The Zionist Idea, which described Zionism as a movement with significant consequences but one that historical theory struggled to categorize. The workshop aims to build on this observation by exploring how anti-Zionism has evolved as both an intellectual and political force, particularly in the context of recent events in Gaza.

Broader Academic Debates

The workshop reflects ongoing discussions within academic circles about the role of universities in hosting debates on contentious political and historical topics. Columbia University has been a focal point for such discussions, particularly through its Center for Palestine Studies, which was established to provide a platform for research and dialogue on Palestinian history, culture, and politics.

The event’s organizers have emphasized the importance of creating spaces for critical inquiry, even on subjects that have become highly polarized. The workshop’s structure—featuring scholars from multiple disciplines and institutions—suggests an effort to approach the topic from diverse intellectual perspectives.

While the workshop is not positioned as a response to any specific recent event, its timing coincides with heightened scrutiny of how universities navigate discussions about Zionism, anti-Zionism, and antisemitism. The organizers have not publicly addressed how the workshop might engage with these broader debates, though the event’s focus on history and theory suggests an academic rather than activist orientation.

Registration and Accessibility

The workshop is scheduled to take place from 9:30 a.m. To 5:30 p.m. In an unspecified location at Columbia University. Registration details are available through the Center for Palestine Studies, though the event’s promotional materials do not specify whether it will be livestreamed or recorded for broader access.

As of April 28, 2026, no statements from university administrators or external organizations about the workshop have been publicly released. The event remains an academic initiative rather than an institutional endorsement of any particular perspective.