Lecturer who failed student for criticising Hamas refers to ‘ethnic cleansing’ claims in class
EXCLUSIVE: University of Leeds' Dr Claudia Radiven faces fresh accusations about her lecture this week on the conflict in Gaza
A university lecturer, previously found to have unfairly failed a student for not sufficiently condemning Israel in her coursework, is again embroiled in controversy regarding her teaching methods.
Dr Claudia Radiven, a lecturer in sociology and social policy at the University of Leeds, faces renewed accusations following a lecture on 15 October in which she referred to Israel’s “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians.
The lecture, part of a first-year module entitled ‘Identities and inequalities,’ also referenced Israel’s policies as examples of “apartheid”, according to a recording heard by Jewish News.
Radiven told students: “Many international bodies and individuals have identified Israel as an apartheid state… This has included a range of actions associated with ethnic cleansing such as targeted elimination… storming sites of religious importance… forced possession of homes… the burning down of villages and farms”.
This latest incident follows a 2023 settlement between the university and Jewish graduate Danielle Greyman, who claimed her essay about the crimes committed by Hamas in Gaza was unfairly marked down because it did not blame Israel.
Radiven, who signed a petition defending Professor David Miller who was sacked by Bristol University following his controversial comments about Jewish students, was one of the lecturers who incorrectly marked down the essay, which was regraded correctly on appeal. The university later reached a confidential financial compensation settlement with Greyman.
Greyman said at the time: “The University of Leeds failed to confirm that I was entitled to my degree until it was too late, and made me wait six months before hearing my appeal, and then a further six months for the re-marking. This has been a long and emotionally draining process, but it is necessary that large institutions know that they will be held accountable for their wrongdoings.”
A year later, she spoke to Jewish News on Thursday and said: “It is unsurprising that Radiven has continued to abuse her position to push an anti-Israel narrative. There is no future for Jews in sociology, which was fathered by Jewish thinkers, and Jewish students should look for other ways to enact the meaningful changes they want to make.”
Jonathan Turner, executive director of UK Lawyers For Israel, criticised Radiven’s latest lecture, calling her statements “inaccurate” and “misleading”. He added: “We’ve seen this before with Dr Radiven. After previously failing a student for not condemning Israel, this latest incident shows her continued bias and obsession with denigrating the Jewish state.”
Turner called on Jewish students to avoid courses led by Dr Radiven, who was a speaker at a 2019 event organised by Friends of Al Aqsa. He also accused Leeds University of being “unsafe” for Jewish students.”
The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) also expressed concerns, emphasising Jewish students should not feel targeted in academic settings. It said it was working closely with campus leadership to ensure Jewish students were supported.
A University of Leeds spokesperson said: “Universities are committed to freedom of expression within the law and encouraging free debate, including on challenging and difficult issues. Our freedom of expression protocol is unambiguous on this point and takes into account guidance from the Government and, among other things, the working definition of antisemitism produced by the IHRA.”
Jewish News has contacted Dr Radiven for comment.
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