Identity Politics & Playing "Jewish Cards"
Program
#RaceClass
Episode
28
Episode Length
00:26:35
Media Type
Podcast
Release Date
4-26-2024
Publisher
WNHN
Language
en-US
Abstract
On Wednesday Apr. 24, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced he would tour Columbia University and host a news conference to discuss “the troubling rise of virulent antisemitism on America’s college campuses.” Just ten days’ prior, Johnson appeared alongside Donald Trump for a press conference that “echoed language from the racist [and antisemitic] great replacement theory.” With his pivot to Columbia and feigned concern over anti-semitism, one might say Mike Johnson is engaging in “identity politics” and playing a “Jewish card.”
He is far from alone. Since October 7th, individuals and entities from across the political spectrum have mobilized Jewish identity to wage ideological battles over competing visions of life at home and abroad. With a nod to Carbado & Gulati’s research on “working identity,” we identify four different ways that Jewish identity is being mobilized in this moment: The Comrade. The Sword. The Shield. The Cynic.
[Teaser: Mike Johnson’s behavior falls into that last category. Also very disappointed we didn't have a chance to discuss "The Parrot" (aka how certain Democrats continue to parrot GOP talking points).]
Recommended Citation
Jonathan Feingold & Arnie Arnesen,
Identity Politics & Playing "Jewish Cards"
(2024).
Available at:
https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/raceclass/61
