Poisoning the Wells

“Erudite and insightful, this timely anthology explores the age-old prejudice in its traditional guise and the modern cloak of anti-Zionism. In Poisoning the Wells, scholars from diverse backgrounds and disciplines shed light on the reemergence and strengthening of antisemitism in modern culture and society. A must read.”

— Doron Ben-Atar, Professor of History, Fordham University

"In the now large scholarship on contemporary antisemitism, Corinne E. Blackmer and Andrew Pessin's Poisoning the Wells stands out for its focus on the way in which hatred of Jews, and of Israel, has achieved a certain academic respectability in the United States. Originally published in 2021, this updated version offers essays by sixteen different contributors and co-authors on the range of topics that have been at the center of controversy, including: intersectionality, anti-racism, and antisemitsm; black antisemitism; antisemitism among hate groups of the far right; Holocaust denial; antisemitic arguments that support boycotts against Israel; ‘pinkwashing,’ and queer theory; myths of a benign history of African-Americans under slavery as well as of Jews as dhimmis in the lands of Islam; shortcomings in social science research; and essays that offer episodes of antisemitism both at small liberal arts colleges, and at large research universities, and of university administrative responses to these developments. The essays combine theory and empirical findings. It is a needed, and understandably sobering volume for fellow scholars, students, policy makers, and a general audience."

— Jeffrey Herf, Professor of History, University of Maryland