Historian Deborah Lipstadt founds Emory institute to address antisemitism

The newly established Emory Policy Institute on Countering Antisemitism (EPICA) will conduct research, facilitate dialogue and prepare future leaders to address antisemitism within democratic societies through undergraduate fellowships, internships and public talks. 

University Distinguished Professor Deborah Lipstadt — one of the world’s foremost experts on the Holocaust and modern antisemitism — founded the institute, which is supported by private donations.

EPICA is grounded in Emory University’s commitment to scholarly rigor and public service, says Lipstadt, who is also Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies in the Tam Institute for Jewish Studies and the Department of Religion.

“We’re seeing a rise in, and normalization of, antisemitism unlike anything we’ve seen in decades,” she says. “The fight against antisemitism is not solely a fight of one minority group against prejudice. It’s a fight for democracy. The work of EPICA will both educate and effect change on a larger scale.”

Lipstadt, who joined the Emory faculty in 1993, made international headlines when she successfully fought a libel case brought against her in British court by a Holocaust denier.

She served as U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism from 2022-2025, a position in the State Department that holds the rank of ambassador. 

During her time as special envoy, “the university gave me a leave of absence and then welcomed me back so enthusiastically that the teacher in me spoke,” says Lipstadt. “I asked myself, ‘What do you do with this now?’”

She founded EPICA as an opportunity for the next generation of scholars and leaders at Emory to benefit from her experience.   

“EPICA reflects Emory College’s commitment to bringing rigorous scholarship to bear on complex issues facing society, including the persistent challenge of antisemitism,” says James Nagy, dean of Emory College of Arts and Sciences. “By connecting interdisciplinary research with public engagement and service, the institute will create opportunities for our students and faculty to contribute meaningful, evidence-based perspectives and help deepen understanding of an issue that continues to affect communities here and around the world.”
 

Student fellowships offer direct engagement 

EPICA’s fellowship program is open to third- and fourth-year undergraduate students in good standing. The deadline to apply is Friday, Oct. 23. 

The fellows will produce research related to the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism, introduced by Lipstadt in a 2024 speech in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dozens of countries and multilateral organizations endorsed the framework. 

“The fellowships offer a great opportunity to study how different entities are implementing these guidelines,” says Lipstadt.

The program will start in January 2027. Over spring break, fellows will join EPICA faculty advisors for a trip to Washington, D.C. They will attend meetings, dinners and talks with current and former government and policy leaders. During eight weeks in the summer, fellows will return to Washington for internships at government think-tanks and on Capitol Hill. 

The fellows will receive stipends, funded by EPICA donors, to offset living expenses and travel costs. They will present their research at a symposium in fall 2028.

"Universities have a distinctive responsibility to bring scholarship, historical understanding and intellectual honesty to the most difficult questions of our time,” says Emory University Provost Badia Ahad. “Through its research and educational mission, EPICA can advance our understanding of the forces that undermine democratic life while preparing students to engage the world with knowledge, moral clarity and a commitment to our shared humanity.”

EPICA offers students the chance not just to learn about antisemitism and prejudice, but “to become agents for change,” says Lipstadt.

While the fellowships present a unique opportunity for those who aspire to work in public policy, she hopes undergraduates from a wide variety of majors will apply. 

“No matter what field a student aspires to go into, this will be a really valuable educational experience for them to see how public policy gets made,” she says.
 

Teaching history, confronting antisemitism

In 1993, Lipstadt published “Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory,” the first full-length study of those who attempt to deny the Holocaust. 

She made history in her own right when she was sued for libel over the book by a Holocaust denier from Britain. The case was filed in England and lasted for years, culminating in a 10-week trial that Lipstadt and her legal team won. 

She documented the experience in another book, “History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier,” published in 2006. The story of her landmark stand inspired the 2016 film “Denial,” starring Rachel Weisz as Lipstadt. 

She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies and a leading center for independent policy research in 2024. In 2023, she was named to Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. 

The U.S. Senate confirmed Lipstadt as special envoy in March 2022 and she was sworn in that May. During her confirmation hearing, she pledged to “fight antisemitism worldwide, without fear or favor, and with … one goal emblazoned before me: to make a difference.” During her tenure in the State Department, she traveled to more than 30 countries in service to that goal. She is currently writing a book about her time in the role.

Lipstadt was founding director of the Tam Institute for Jewish Studies at Emory, where she created undergraduate and graduate curricula focused on the interdisciplinary study of Jewish civilization and culture.

An acclaimed educator, she received Emory’s 2020 Exemplary Teacher Award, the 2019 George P. Cuttino Award for Excellence in Mentoring and the 1997 Emory Williams Award for Distinguished Teaching.