Professor Andrea J. Martin participates in bipartisan Congressional briefing on the IHRA definition of antisemitism

CARLISLE, Pa.—Professor Andrea J. Martin participated in a bipartisan congressional staff briefing, “Understanding the IHRA Definition of Anti-Semitism: Why It Matters, How It Works, and Where It Makes a Difference,” on March 5, 2026. The briefing was hosted by the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. The briefing also featured remarks from U.S. Senator James Lankford and Representative Laura Gillen.

Moderated by Kenneth L. Marcus, chairman and CEO of the Brandeis Center, the panel also featured Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, and Sandra Hagee Parker, chairwoman of the Christians United for Israel Action Fund.

Martin discussed how the absence of a clear definition of antisemitism has complicated enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, particularly in cases involving campus harassment. Drawing on her recent scholarship, she explained that the IHRA definition is an important tool for assisting institutions, litigators, and judges in effectively analyzing antisemitism claims under established civil rights doctrine, because antisemitism is often misclassified, misidentified, and misunderstood, as it evolves over time in response to social and political contexts.

Professor Andrea J. Martin’s research encompasses constitutional law, anti-discrimination law, and the study of historical and contemporary antisemitism. Through her scholarship in the emerging field of Jewish Law and Policy, she develops legal frameworks and advances strategies to influence legal, governmental, and institutional policies to combat antizionism and other contemporary forms of Jew-hatred and protect civil rights.