USC Shoah Foundation Appoints Inaugural Director of Countering Antisemitism Laboratory

LOS ANGELES, CA (Feb. 11, 2025) — The USC Shoah Foundation announced the appointment of Dr. Brian Hughes as the inaugural Director of its Countering Antisemitism Laboratory, marking a significant expansion of the institute's mission to combat hatred through research, education and action.

Hughes joins the institute from American University, where he co-founded PERIL, the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab. A media and communication scholar, he brings extensive experience analyzing how digital platforms amplify extremist ideologies, with a focus on prevention and public health approaches to combating hate.

"Dr. Hughes represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking leadership we need at this critical moment," said Dr. Robert J. Williams, Finci-Viterbi Executive Director of the USC Shoah Foundation and UNESCO Chair on Antisemitism and Holocaust Research. "Brian's expertise in how digital platforms amplify extremist ideologies, coupled with his successful track record of advising federal agencies, will help transform how we understand and combat contemporary antisemitism."

Hughes has provided strategic briefings to key federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Federal Bureau of Investigation on countering antisemitism, racial hatred, and extremist activities. His testimony examining social media's influence in the January 6th Capitol attack is documented in the Select Committee's official record. His research has been featured in leading security and academic publications, including West Point's CTC Sentinel and the International Journal of Communication.

Working with empirical data, Hughes' first priority will be to analyze online hate speech and develop evidence-based, proven effective methods to prevent antisemitism and other forms of hate from spreading online. "There is too little applied, empirical work being done and held up to peer review. That's what I want to do with the laboratory," said Dr. Hughes, "As we lose the last generation of survivors we are losing a method of intervention that we knew worked. The importance of storytelling is never going to go away. What we need now is to develop new proven effective ways to bring these stories into the future while respecting the memories of those survivors."

"Fighting antisemitism and all forms of racism, hatred, and violence is needed now more than ever. Dr. Hughes's expertise in digital analysis and prevention strategies will enhance the USC Shoah Foundation's impact in bettering the world," said Ceci Chan, a member of the USC Shoah Foundation's Executive Committee. "The laboratory will serve as an essential hub for developing research and evidence-based strategies to combat hate online and in communities, which will enable people to build more civil and equitable societies."

The laboratory will build on the institute's archive of 61,000 testimonies, expanding to include 10,000 new interviews with survivors of anti-Jewish violence since 1945. Under Hughes's leadership, the laboratory will analyze online hate speech patterns and develop evidence-based prevention strategies, working with scholars, journalists, students and policymakers to create comprehensive training programs to combat anti-Jewish bias and discrimination.