Adam Tooze

State: New York
City: New York City
Campus: Columbia University (Columbia)

Adam Tooze is a British historian and professor at Columbia University, serving as Director of the European Institute and contributing to major outlets including the Financial Times, London Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and Die Zeit. Through his widely followed podcast Ones and Tooze, he frequently comments on the Israel–Hamas war, adopting highly critical positions toward Israeli policy and U.S. support for the conflict.

Tooze has become an active voice in campus and public debates on Gaza, repeatedly describing Israeli actions as “ethnic cleansing,” “genocide,” or the deliberate destruction of Palestinian culture (“scholasticide”). His commentary extends beyond academic analysis into clear political advocacy, including defending the 2024 Columbia University encampment and criticizing NYPD response and administrative discipline.

Record of Advocacy & Ideological Bias

Academic and Organizational Roles

Tooze has leveraged his Columbia position and media platforms to elevate a pro-Palestinian framing of the Gaza war, using academic authority to validate claims of systematic Israeli destruction and U.S. complicity.

Public Statements and Activism

Aug 2025: In Surplus, accused Israel of inducing hunger in Gaza as a form of “ethnic cleansing” and potentially “genocide.”
Feb 2025: Referred to Gaza as undergoing “ethnic cleansing” during an Academy discussion on global crises.
Feb 2025: Published an article describing Israel’s war as “scholasticide,” alleging deliberate attacks on schools, universities, and cultural institutions.
Oct 2024: Criticized Israel’s war as a “war of choice” aimed at making Gaza “unlivable.”
May 2024: Condemned Netanyahu’s “Gaza 2035” plan as a project built on mass displacement and erasure.

Collaborations and Affiliations

Tooze supported CUAD and other pro-Palestinian groups at Columbia, endorsed the 2024 encampment, and signed multiple faculty letters defending pro-Palestinian campus activism. He has consistently framed Israel’s policies as colonial, destructive, and economically devastating, integrating this perspective across academic writing, public commentary, and podcasting.

Impact on Campus Climate & Accountability Concerns

Tooze’s rhetoric has broader implications for campus safety and the climate for Jewish students. By embedding terms like “genocide,” “ethnic cleansing,” and “scholasticide” into scholarly and public discourse, he mirrors the language used in protests and encampments where Jewish and Israeli students reported intimidation and exclusion. Faculty endorsements of movements that use slogans like “Globalize the intifada” or “From the river to the sea” can be interpreted by students as institutional validation of extremist narratives.

While Tooze is not directly responsible for harassment, his sustained alignment with activist-led messaging contributes to an environment in which antisemitic hostility is minimized or reframed as political critique. This dynamic raises urgent questions about faculty responsibility in preventing the escalation of bias, protecting vulnerable communities, and ensuring that campuses remain safe learning environments for all.