The Anti-Defamation League : A Critical Reader

The ADL says it fights hate. Its record tells a different story

For over a century, the Anti-Defamation League has been regarded as one of the most prominent civil rights watchdogs in the United States, dedicated to fighting white supremacy, antisemitism, and extremism. Its data informs law enforcement. Its trainings shape classrooms. And its talking points influence the headlines. But behind the ADL’s progressive image lies a very different reality. The Anti-Defamation League: A Critical Reader brings together a collective of scholars, organizers, and activists to expose the ADL as a deeply reactionary and conservative force in American politics. From its roots in a Cold War-era framework of Western supremacy and settler colonialism, to its modern day support for militarized policing, surveillance, and the repression of Palestinian rights, the ADL has long advanced a vision of justice rooted in empire, not liberation. Contributors trace how the ADL has weaponized the charge of antisemitism to shield itself from criticism, silence dissent, and undermine movements for racial justice, Palestinian freedom, and collective safety. As the call to #DropTheADL grows louder, so too does the need for urgent reflection and action.