Democracy Speaker Series: Dr. Noam Weissman & Dr. Mehnaz Afridi on Antisemitism & Islamophobia

At an all-school Assembly on Friday, February 21, two renowned educators—Jewish-American academic Dr. Noam Weissman and Muslim-American professor Dr. Mehnaz Afridi—engaged in a conversation about having civil discussions with people who do not share the same beliefs. Weissman and Afridi used the complex topic of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine to show how listening and learning from the perspectives of others are the first step towards holding constructive dialogues. 

The talk, part of the School’s ongoing Democracy Speaker Series, covered the persistence of antisemitism and Islamophobia in modern societies, how one’s personal experiences shape a perspective, as well as the historical context of the current conflict abroad. Following the conversation, students from the Hopkins’ course, 21st Democracy, had the opportunity to ask questions, such as how social media has influenced antisemitism and Islamophobia, what the most common misconceptions about Israel and Palestine are, and their thoughts on the potential for future peace.

This talk was curated by the educational company, ConnectED, a program that upholds critical thinking, empathy, and respectful discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian story, antisemitism, and Jewish history, while equipping students with skills in media literacy and navigating difficult conversations.

Democracy Speaker Series aims to deepen students’ knowledge of civics—the mechanics of democracy—and engage them in civil discourse. The goal is to educate students on matters of citizenship and prepare them to be critical thinkers.

Click below to watch the full talk.