I'm not against talking about it in an academic setting, as I've said. Like I said - I would even agree with the descriptor "Jewish" being used in those settings.
The thing is, this isn't either of those two things. The people talking about that stuff aren't having a genetic or academic conversation regarding heritage/ethnicity versus religion. The thread is not trying to have a Jewish conversation. It's an Animorphs conversation. More specifically, a discussion of religion in Animorphs, which wasn't even supposed to become a debate about religious terms to begin with, so I was trying to avoid the more complicated stuff, but whatever, here we are.
Now, you keep talking about those two things (both academic), and I'm talking about general respect/politeness (which is a totally different discussion). Is it correct to call someone you don't know Jewish before you've met them... Well, let's see: What labels should you identify anyone with before you've met them and learned about what they identify themselves as? Not when discussing genetics, not when discussing ancestry, not when discussing varying religious definitions, but just pinning on identity tags before you've met or known someone and find out how they feel about themselves?
I'm not sure I would want to meet anyone that thought it was appropriate to actually casually stick labels on someone they hadn't met in person yet, beyond basics (what the person calls refers to themself as, or other information they've volunteered openly.) And obviously I am specifically referring to outside an academic setting and other discussions where those descriptors really aren't relevant. Someone's identity - as people that don't know them well know them - really should be based on what they release about themselves.
Let's say the person is brought up Christian, happy being Christian, identifies as Christian. If you're going to introduce them to someone else, how are you going to introduce them? Or I mean, you could replace "Christian" with "anything else" as well.
Jewish? Well, how does that correctly identify them? If they identify as Christian and don't see their Jewish heritage as relevant to their life, is that a correct descriptor? Is it relevant? Is it really polite to go to that descriptor first in discussion with strangers relating to just everyday, non-academic stuff? Would I call my employer - someone who descended from Jews-in-hiding but decided to stick with Christian practices - Jewish outside of those aforementioned settings, with random people? Even though she herself only brings it up when she feels it relevant? (No!)
You can pull out a definition all you like... that doesn't make it correct. Just because there's precedent or circumstances where this descriptor makes sense doesn't make it an appropriate descriptor everywhere (and like I said, in the academic setting? Yes, that definition is totally applicable and makes sense). This is why I say I would only do it if the person identified as Jewish already outside of those settings. Because unless you know them more intimately, if it's not a relevant part of their identity it shouldn't be any key descriptor. And uh... That would also make it a key descriptor only in that more intimate circle, not, "Oh, you're meeting 'so-and-so'? They're Jewish."
The flip is true of saying someone is not Jewish outside of relevant discussion if they identify as such openly. It's plain rude, regardless of your personal definition. And sort of annoying, when people who aren't Jewish try to tell someone else if they're Jewish or not. Is that discussion relevant outside of a religious discussion... No. Is it relevant to tell someone they're not Jewish because they're Reform and their dad was Jewish? No. I mean, not unless they were trying to perform in a Conservative/Orthodox minyan, go for an aliyah in those congregations, etc., etc. Then yes, it would be entirely relevant, correct, appropriate.
Same goes with a lot of things: If someone told someone else I was Roman Catholic now, as in, an up-front descriptor - I'd be really peeved, because I don't identify as such personally. Talking about my heritage and ancestry is a different matter from basic labels at, immediately prior to, or soon after basic introductions.
A definition existing =/= an appropriate usage of the term in all situations make. Which is my problem with calling someone Jewish unless they've identified as such, though I agree and have already agreed in other settings is true and appropriate. It feels like we're having two entirely different discussions.
As for material? You've caught me at a bad time because I'm moving in August for college (I've posted a few times, but I've had to get rid of my library and am trying to start building up an eReader). But I've had to basically get rid of my Jewish library as a result - other than the things I wouldn't use an eReader for such as siddurim, tanakhim, chumashim, and other such texts, obviously, because of wanting to avoid electronics on Shabbat - which I don't do entirely, but I mean, some basic religious etiquette I feel is a must and using an electronic chumash or siddur would be over some line, heh. However, I like Wayne Dosick, Kertzer, Anita Diamant, Kushner, Rabbi Harold Donin (I think???)... Grief, blanking out on names.
I also feel like there's a Jewish emag somewhere that is a great example of where referring to oneself as Jewish in open forums can be a Bad Idea - though in this case at the fault of the author using that assumption to push Christian idealism. The person converted to another religion but still posts in Jewish forums, and doesn't really explain this in their articles... They pass off a lot of non-Jewish idealisms as Jewish as a result >> And some people do this on purpose - not appreciated! And there's another frustration: people who have every right to refer to themselves as Jewish in every way... And they talk about Christian theology in Jewish forums without "by the way, I practice Christianity" hence passing off what they're saying as Jewish in attitude? Ugh.
Though arguably a lot of people feel this is the case of Messianic Judaism/Jews4Jesus movements, so actually, from that end I would hope someone educating themselves would already know the argument.