‘The rupture is so big that I don’t think I will feel like I belong again’: antisemitic microaggressions and the experiences of Jewish faculty in Canadian higher education

This paper examines the experiences of Jewish faculty in Canadian higher education in the aftermath of 7 October 2023. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the study uses the framework of microaggressions to analyze how antisemitism manifests in campus interactions and institutional spaces. Participants reported experiences ranging from overt hostility, subtle stereotyping, and routine dismissals of their lived experiences, fostering alienation, isolation, and professional withdrawal. At the same time, many described the acts of resistance, activism, and identity reclamation. Framed within critical theories of education, the study aims to unpack antisemitism and reconnect it with equity and anti-racism frameworks, while also developing tools to recognize Jewish difference. By centring Jewish counter-narratives, this research highlights the voices of those at the receiving end of antisemitic microaggressions. It contributes to critical education scholarship, calling on universities to recognize antisemitism as a systemic issue deserving sustained attention, within broader commitments to diversity and inclusion.