| Title | 3. Memetic antisemitism |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | How memes teach age-old hatred |
| Contributor | Lev Topor (author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0447.03 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0447/chapters/10.11647/obp.0447.03 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Lev Topor; |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-05-02 |
| Long abstract | This chapter explores the concept of memetic antisemitism, a phenomenon in which internet memes are used to propagate age-old antisemitic tropes, conspiracy theories, and stereotypes. The research highlights how far-right groups, neo-Nazis, Islamists, and other actors disseminate antisemitic messages via platforms like Telegram and social media, repackaging historical hate into visually engaging and easily shareable content. Through qualitative analysis, this study demonstrates how these memes, ranging from explicit imagery to covert optical illusions generated by AI, are designed to normalize antisemitic rhetoric, fostering a climate of prejudice and enabling real-world harm. The article also examines the historical roots of visual antisemitic propaganda, from Nazi Germany to Soviet anti-Zionism, and connects these historical precedents to contemporary digital hate culture. It underscores the urgency of addressing memetic antisemitism through content moderation, education, and critical media literacy to counter its widespread impact. |
| Page range | pp. 33–56 |
| Language | English (Original) |
Dr Lev Topor is a policy-oriented researcher and a private consultant in the fields of antisemitism and cyber policy. He teaches Cybersecurity at the School of Information Systems at the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Israel. He is a fellow at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP). Lev is a former visiting ISGAP fellow at the Woolf Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom, a former Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Cyber Law and Policy (CCLP), University of Haifa, Israel, and a former Visiting Scholar at the International Institute for Holocaust Research, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem. Lev received his PhD from the Bar Ilan University, Israel (supervised by Prof. Jonathan Rynhold). His works have won several awards like the Honors Award from The Association of Civil-Military Studies in Israel (2020), the Presidential Prize from the President of Bar Ilan University, Israel (2019), and the Robert Wistrich Award from the Vidal Sassoon Center for the Study of Antisemitism (2019). He has published dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and reports on cyber policies, anonymous communications, racism, antisemitism, and anti-Zionism.