Strengthening Our Community Amid Conflict

Resources

Brown’s Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) encourages our community to take advantage of exploring a range of resources to assist in expanding knowledge and building shared understanding of differing ideas, perspectives, identities and lived experiences. This is key to sustaining a caring and supportive teaching and learning community, where every individual feels safe.

OIED works to prevent and mitigate against antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian anti-Israeli harassment and discrimination, as well as the enduring legacies of racism.

Resources for Understanding Antisemitism and anti-Israeli Discrimination

Below is a selection of resources to promote individual education and heightened awareness about antisemitism and anti-Israeli discrimination. The Definitions and Terms section reflects that there often is not universal understanding or common agreement for defining the impact and harm of behaviors manifesting as antisemitism, hate and discrimination. Brown University does not endorse or operate from any single definition of antisemitism, but rather seeks to understand and support members of our community based on their concerns and experiences.

Definitions and Terms

U.S. Department of State definition of antisemitism, U.S. Department of State, Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, May 2016
JDA Working definition of antisemitism, Jerusalem Declaration of Antisemitism
ADL (Anti-Defamation League) definition of antisemitism, Anti-Defamation League, February 2017
IHRA Working definition of antisemitism, International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, May 2016
Racial Equity Tools Glossary, Project Change’s “The Power of Words.” RacialEquityTools.org, December 2023

National and International Resources

Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action to Address Alarming Rise of Reported Antisemitic and Islamophobic Events at Schools and on College Campuses, The White House, November 2023
Fact Sheet: The U.S. Department of Education Announces New Tools to Tackle Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Related Forms of Discrimination and Bias, U.S. Department of Education, November 2023
Fact Sheet: Protecting Students from Discrimination Based on Shared Ancestry or Ethnic Characteristics, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, January 2023
UN News Articles related to antisemitism, United Nations, UN News, January 2021 - January 2022
Anti-Semitism and Jewish views on discrimination, Jewish Americans in 2020 report, Pew Research Center, May 2021
Antisemitism: Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, United Nations Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner, September 2019
Letter from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights about Antisemitism, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, May 2023

Local Resources

Brown University Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life, including Judaism resources and support
Brown RISD Hillel
The Rohr Chabad House
Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island

Resources for Understanding Islamophobia and Anti-Arab and Anti-Palestinian Discrimination

Below is a selection of resources to promote individual education and heightened awareness about Islamophobia and anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian discrimination. The Definitions and Terms section reflects that there often is not universal understanding or common agreement for defining the impact and harm of behaviors manifesting as Islamophobia, hate and discrimination. Brown University does not endorse or operate from any single definition of Islamophobia, but rather seeks to understand and support members of our community based on their concerns and experiences.

Definitions and Terms

A Working Definition of Islamophobia: A Briefing Report, United Nations Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner, November 2020
Racial Equity Tools Glossary, Project Change’s “The Power of Words,” December 2023

National and International Resources

Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action to Address Alarming Rise of Reported Antisemitic and Islamophobic Events at Schools and on College Campuses, The White House, November 2023
Fact Sheet: The U.S. Department of Education Announces New Tools to Tackle Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Related Forms of Discrimination and Bias, U.S. Department of Education, November 2023
UN News articles related to anti-Muslim discrimination, United Nations, UN News, January 2017 - March 2023
Report on Countering Islamophobia/Anti-Muslim Hatred to Eliminate Discrimination and Intolerance Based on Religion or Belief, United Nations Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner, February 2021
U.S. Muslims Concerned About Their Place in Society, but Continue to Believe in the American Dream, Pew Research, July 2017
Muslim American Experience Bibliography (1966-2023), Institute for Social Policy and Understanding

Local Resources

Brown University Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life, including resources and support on Islam
City of Providence Resources for the Muslim-American Community
Islamic Center of RI (ICRI) - Masjid Al-Kareem

Resources for Understanding Racism and Discrimination

Below is a selection of resources to promote individual education and heightened awareness about racism and racial discrimination of any form.

Reporting Incidents

Brown University students, staff, faculty, visitors and guests who have experienced or witnessed an incident of bias, discrimination or harassment are encouraged to report it to the University using the online form. Email questions to equity_reporting@brown.edu. If it’s an emergency situation, call 911.

Report Incident