In this episode, we take another look at the Israeli-Palestine conflict, which some have described as the “third rail” in British academia. With the ceasefire at the verge of collapse and domestic tensions remaining high in the aftermath of the attack on the Synagogue in Manchester, the urgent need for a public, thoughtful conversation about Jews, Israel, and Palestine is clear. Joining the podcast this week is Prof. Ilan Baron, a Professor in International Political Theory at the School of Government and International Affairs and Director of the Centre for the Study of Jewish Culture, Society and Politics at Durham University. He is the author of an article entitled “Antisemitism, Israel and the Problem with no Easy Solution”, which was published on the Duck of Minerva website in October 2025. The article challenges the automatic linkage between actions by the Israeli government and diaspora Jews, which he argues is particularly prevalent in journalistic reporting, treating Jews around the world as proxy representatives for Israel, thereby undermining the safety of British Jews.

Link to the Duck of Minerva article: https://www.duckofminerva.com/2025/10/antisemitism-israel-and-the-problem-with-no-easy-solution.html

To learn more about our guest's research visit their website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/ilan-baron/

Literature mentioned in this episode:

Baron, Ilan Z. 2009. The Problem of Dual Loyalty. Canadian Journal of Political Science, 42(4), 1025-1044

Baron, Ilan Z. 2014. Obligation in Exile: The Jewish Diaspora, Israel and Critique. Edinburgh University Press; Oxford University Press.

Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/