The goal of this course is to provide participants with a deeper understanding of contemporary antisemitism as an ideology and equip them with the psychological knowledge and practical tools necessary to combat it effectively. Drawing on insights from social psychology, judgment and decision-making, behavioral science, and the study of social movements, participants will explore what makes ideologies appealing, how they spread, and what it takes to challenge them.
Throughout the course, participants will learn how to map the battlefield of ideas, identify where their efforts can have the greatest impact, and apply psychological principles of communication, persuasion, and social influence to change minds and behavior. Ultimately, the course aims to move participants beyond simply reacting to antisemitism toward proactively advancing better ideas, shaping public discourse, and changing the social norms that allow antisemitism to flourish.
Session 1: Know What You’re Fighting: The Psychology of Antisemitism
The first session introduces participants to the concept of ideological warfare and examines why contemporary antisemitism must be understood not merely as prejudice, ignorance, or misinformation, but as an ideology—a system of ideas that shapes how people understand the world, interpret events, and justify their actions. Drawing on historical and contemporary examples, participants will explore how antisemitism has endured for centuries by adapting its accusations and moral vocabulary to changing social, cultural, and political environments. Particular attention will be given to the psychological appeal of ideologies, the needs they satisfy, and the mechanisms through which they resist contradictory evidence. The session will examine American Intellectual Antisemitism as a contemporary expression of this enduring ideology.
Building on this foundation, participants will examine what distinguishes an ideological war from ordinary political disagreement and why victory in such conflicts requires changing what society considers legitimate, acceptable, and morally justified. The session will also explore why effectively combating antisemitism requires ordinary people to recognize their own responsibility in the struggle.
Session 2: Choose Your Battlefield: The Psychology of Fighting for Impact
The second session turns from understanding antisemitism as an ideology to developing an effective strategy for combating it. Participants will explore why winning an ideological war requires more than having better ideas. It requires getting those ideas to more people, faster than the opposing side. Particular attention will be given to the importance of fighting proactively rather than merely reacting to opponents’ accusations, advancing one’s own ideas rather than allowing others to dictate the terms of the debate, and distinguishing between winning individual arguments and achieving meaningful change.
Participants will learn how to map the battlefield of ideas and identify where their efforts can have the greatest impact. Challenging common assumptions about ideological advocacy, the session will examine the strategic strengths and weaknesses of fighting from inside and outside institutions, as well as the importance of reaching individuals whose influence extends beyond themselves. Ultimately, participants will learn to assess their own strengths, positions, and opportunities for influence, recognizing that fighting an ideological war is not simply about showing up, but about making their efforts matter.
Session 3: Move People: The Psychology of Changing Minds
The third session examines how psychological principles can help people communicate more effectively, overcome resistance, and change minds in an ideological war. Participants will explore why presenting facts, correcting misinformation, and making logically compelling arguments are often insufficient to persuade others. Particular attention will be given to humanizing abstract ideas through personal stories and emotional appeals, earning people’s trust, overcoming psychological reactance, and adapting messages to different audiences. The session will also examine why effective persuasion often begins not with changing people’s minds, but with creating the conditions in which they become willing to reconsider their own beliefs.
Building on these principles, participants will explore how doubt can weaken ideological certainty and how social norms shape what society considers acceptable and legitimate. Drawing on historical examples of successful social change, the session will examine how small commitments, repeated exposure, and gradual shifts in perceived social norms can accumulate into meaningful changes in beliefs and behavior. Ultimately, participants will learn to approach persuasion not as an attempt to win individual arguments, but as a sustained effort to create the psychological and social conditions for lasting change.
Session 4: Stay in the Fight: The Psychology of Winning an Ideological War
The final session examines the psychological challenges of sustaining an ideological struggle over time and what it actually means to win. Participants will explore how overconfidence, motivated reasoning, and cognitive biases can undermine even the most well-intentioned efforts to combat antisemitism. Particular attention will be given to the importance of intellectual humility, understanding opposing perspectives, avoiding ideological caricatures, and recognizing the limitations of one’s own judgment. Participants will learn why fighting effectively requires not only understanding the psychology of one’s opponents, but also recognizing the psychological vulnerabilities that can undermine their own efforts.
The session will also examine why ideological victories are often incremental, difficult to observe, and dependent on sustained engagement rather than immediate results. Participants will explore the importance of recognizing small victories, remaining engaged despite disagreement and setbacks, and building supportive communities that sustain motivation and resilience. Drawing on historical examples of ideological transformation, the session will consider what lasting victory looks like and why defeating harmful ideas requires more than simply discrediting them. Ultimately, the course will conclude by challenging participants to move beyond fighting against antisemitism toward identifying and advancing the positive ideas, values, and vision of society they are fighting for.
Spring 2027
Online
4
February 16, February 23, March 2, March 9, 2027
Tuesdays, 12:00PM-1:00PM ET
Since October 7, 2023, Shai Davidai has emerged as a prominent voice in the fight against antisemitism and the normalization of support for terrorism in North America. As one of the most outspoken professors on these issues, he has taken on this fight at considerable personal and professional risk. His activism has attracted more than 250,000 followers on social media, and his podcast, Here I Am with Shai Davidai, reaches tens of thousands of listeners each week. Davidai has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee, organized rallies, and traveled around the world to speak with Jewish and non-Jewish audiences. He was named one of The Jerusalem Post's 50 Most Influential Jews of 2024, honored by the Israeli Parliament, and awarded the Jerusalem Prize at the Jerusalem Conference in New York City. His work has been featured in major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Fox News, and he has appeared in multiple documentaries. He is the author of American Intellectual Antisemitism: The Anti-Jewish Movement Tearing Through Our Universities (2026), which examines the ideological foundations of contemporary campus antisemitism and how these ideas have spread through American higher education. Davidai holds a PhD in Social Psychology from Cornell University and has taught at Princeton University, The New School for Social Research, and Columbia University. Drawing on his academic background in social psychology, judgment and decision-making, and behavioral science, as well as his experience on the front lines of the fight against antisemitism, he is currently working on How to Fight an Ideological War: Lessons from the Battlefield of Ideas, a book that explores the psychological principles of ideological conflict, persuasion, and social change. He lives in New York City with his wife, author and translator Yardenne Greenspan, and their two magnificent young children.
