A problematic term?

Prof. Anthony Julius, Dr. Robert Rozett

Over the years, scholars of antisemitism have noted that the usage of the term “antisemitism” poses several problems. What are these and how should they be dealt with when exploring this hatred’s past and current expressions?

What do you think is the utility of the term “antisemitism” when dealing with the history of Jew-hatred?

References

• Beller, Steven, Antisemitism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015).

• Engel, David, “Away from a Definition of Antisemitism,” in Jeremey Cohen, Jeremy and Moshe Rosman, eds., Rethinking European Jewish History (Oxford: Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 2009), pp.30 – 53.

• Julius, Anthony, Trials of the Diaspora: A History of Anti-Semitism in England (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010).

• Lewis, Bernard, Semites and Anti-Semites: An Inquiry into Conflict and Prejudice (New York: W. W. Norton, 1986).

• Lindemann, Albert and Richard S. Levy, eds., Antisemitism: A History (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010).

• Wistrich, Roberst S., Antisemitism: The Longest Hatred (New York: Pantheon Books, 1991).