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A Netnographic Approach to Antisemitism in the Context of the Cultural Boycott Campaign #DJs for Palestine

Author(s): Ehmann, Tanja

Date: 2023

Topics: Antisemitism, Antisemitism: Definitions, Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), Main Topic: Antisemitism, Music

Abstract: In 2018 and 2021, the Berlin club scene saw cancel culture clashes in connection with the DJs for Palestine (DJP) boycott campaign, which follows the agenda of the BDS move-ment. I was interested in the discussions about the clashes on social media and want-ed to find out to what extent the argumentation in favor of the DJP boycott campaign reproduces antisemitism. To discuss my findings, I used the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA). The results of my analysis of the pro-boycott voices on social media show that they positioned themselves in an ideologized and Manichaean manner against Israel and Zionism. People who argued against the boycott were singled out and accused of being white supremacists. In their social media posts, the boycott supporters created a hegemonic and exclusionary space and staged themselves as gatekeepers of human rights. Analysis of the posts with key words from the JDA guidelines delineated in section C as not antisemitic per se show that this judgement has to be rejected in the case of the present study. The critique that is formulated is in most cases destructive and neither balanced nor a qualified approach to a complex situation. What is especially missing is a recognition of how criticism of Zionism or Israel can be loaded with antisemitic tropes. Instead of such recognition, there is denial of antisemitism or counter-accusation. There are dogmatic speech, unilateral blame and defensiveness, but most of the time no reference to contra-dictions and ambivalences towards the boycott campaign and the DJs for Palestine agenda.