Nikhil Pal Singh, a professor in NYU’s Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, has spent years distorting history, defending hate speech, and embedding radical antisemitic narratives into academia. Despite presenting himself as a scholar of race and imperialism, Singh has repeatedly aligned with extremists who glorify violence against Jews, delegitimize Jewish history, and promote hostility toward the Jewish state.
Singh’s academic credibility has been used not to enlighten, but to inflame, to transform education into ideological indoctrination, and to excuse antisemitism as resistance.
Denial of Jewish History and Promotion of Antisemitic Rhetoric
At the core of Singh’s worldview is a pattern of minimizing or outright denying Jewish historical ties to the land of Israel. This historical erasure mirrors the rhetoric of terrorist groups and modern antisemites who seek to delegitimize Jewish identity by denying its roots.
- 2012: Dismissed Jewish historical ties to Hebron—one of Judaism’s holiest cities—as “bizarre” and “bogus.”
- 2012: Compared Jewish political and security efforts to Nazi Germany, weaponizing Holocaust imagery to demonize Jews.
- 2009: Signed a letter to President Obama accusing Jews of perpetrating “one of the most massive ethnocidal atrocities of modern times”—a blatant mischaracterization of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intended to vilify Jews as perpetrators of genocide.
Such statements are not academic critique—they are inflammatory falsehoods designed to delegitimize a people and erase their history.
Backing Radicals and Defending Hate Speech
Rather than rejecting antisemitic rhetoric, Singh has defended its most visible academic proponents. He has used his influence to protect and promote individuals who publicly wished harm upon Jewish civilians, and has framed the consequences of such incitement as examples of oppression rather than accountability.
- 2014: Defended Steven Salaita, a professor who celebrated the kidnapping of Jewish teenagers by Hamas and mocked the deaths of civilians.
- Brushed off Salaita’s hate speech as “U.S. violence,” shifting blame from the speaker to broader societal forces.
- 2013: Supported a campaign to cut ties between U.S. universities and Israeli institutions using misleading maps and historical distortions—part of a coordinated academic boycott movement.
- 2014: Framed universities that opposed antisemitic activism as enemies of “academic freedom,” while ignoring how such campaigns intimidated Jewish students and faculty.
By backing these campaigns, Singh has created intellectual cover for activists who promote violence and use education as a platform for hate.
Normalizing Antisemitism Through “Radical” Scholarship
Singh’s scholarship often positions Jewish statehood and self-defense as forms of colonial oppression—while denying the legitimacy of Jewish historical trauma or the dangers posed by antisemitic incitement. His writing and public statements promote the idea that Jewish political identity is inherently violent or illegitimate.
- 2016: Framed counterterrorism and national security policies—designed to protect civilians from acts of terror—as “brutality,” echoing the language of groups that support political violence.
- Continues to produce and promote content that blames Jews for the hatred directed at them, while absolving radical groups of responsibility for inciting it.
- Portrays Jewish self-determination as a global threat rather than a legitimate expression of national identity.
This reframing is not just wrong—it’s dangerous. It shifts blame from the perpetrators of hate to its victims and invites others to do the same.
A Radical Force in Higher Education
Through his position at NYU, Singh influences curriculum, mentors students, and contributes to shaping the ideological tenor of the university. Rather than encouraging dialogue or nuance, Singh’s activism fosters division—encouraging students to adopt binary worldviews that classify Jews as colonizers and Israel as an imperialist crime.
- Uses his academic prestige to legitimize movements that harass Jewish students.
- Aligns with networks that seek to dismantle Zionism by erasing Jewish historical claims and denying Jewish peoplehood.
- Frames violence against Jews as “resistance,” creating moral justification for terrorism on campuses.
His work has turned NYU into a platform for modern academic antisemitism—weaponized not with slogans and flags, but with footnotes and lectures.
Bottom Line: Nikhil Pal Singh is not engaging in scholarship, he’s conducting ideological warfare. By excusing antisemitism, promoting revisionist history, and empowering those who glorify terror, Singh has positioned himself as a leading voice in the academic mainstreaming of anti-Jewish hatred.
NYU’s continued endorsement of Singh and his work is a direct threat to campus safety, intellectual freedom, and the rights of Jewish students to learn without fear.