The Cambridge Companion to Antisemitism

One-volume comprehensive collection of new articles on the history, literature and philosophy of antisemitism, for students and non-experts.

Steven Katz (Edited by)

9781108494403, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 2 June 2022

540 pages
23.4 x 15.6 x 3 cm, 0.99 kg

'an important resource - though frequently an unsettling read.' Alexander Faludy, Church Times

A History of Anti-Semitism examines the history, culture and literature of antisemitism from antiquity to the present. With contributions from an international team of scholars, whose essays were specially commissioned for this volume, it covers the long history of antisemitism starting with ancient Greece and Egypt, through the anti-Judaism of early Christianity, and the medieval era in both the Christian and Muslim worlds when Jews were defined as 'outsiders,' especially in Christian Europe. This portrayal often led to violence, notably pogroms that often accompanied Crusades, as well as to libels against Jews. The volume also explores the roles of Luther and the Reformation, the Enlightenment, the debate over Jewish emancipation, Marxism, and the social disruptions after World War 1 that led to the rise of Nazism and genocide. Finally, it considers current issues, including the dissemination of hate on social media and the internet and questions of definition and method.

Part I. The Classical Period: 1. Antisemitism in the pagan world Erich Gruen
2. New Testament origins of Christian anti-Judaism Adele Reinhartz
3. Anti-Judaism in early Christian writings Pierluigi Piovanelli
4. Church fathers and antisemitism from the second century through Augustine (end of 450 CE) Joshua Garroway
5. Christians, Jews, and Judaism in the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East, c. 150–400 CE Andrew Jacobs
6. Christianizing the Roman Empire: Jews and the law from Constantine to Justinian, 300–600 CE Andrew Jacobs
7. Antisemitism in Byzantium, fourth-seventh centuries Steven Bowman
Part II. Medieval Times: 8. The medieval Islamic world and the Jews Reuven Firestone
9. Medieval Western Christendom Robert Chazan
10. Christian theology and papal policy in the Middle Ages Jeremy Cohen
11. Crusades, blood libels, and popular violence Emily Rose
12. Jews and money: medieval origins of a modern stereotype Julie Mell
13. Jews and anti-Judaism in Christian religious literature Miri Rubin
14. Antisemitism in medieval art Debra Higgs Strickland
Part III. The Modern Era: 15. Martin Luther and the Reformation Debra Kaplan
16. The enlightenment and its negative consequences Alan Arkush
17. Modern antisemitism in Western Europe: romantic nationalism, racism, and racial fantasies Shulamit Volkov
18. Antisemitism in late Imperial Russia and Eastern Europe up to 1920 Laura Engelstein
19. Marxism, socialism, and antisemitism Jack Jacobs
20. Antisemitism in modern literature and theatre: 20A. French literature Maurice Samuels
20B. German literature Michael Mack
20C. English literature Bryan Cheyette
21. Antisemitism in America, 1654–2020 Jonathan Sarna
22. Antisemitism in the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich Steven T. Katz
23. New Islamic antisemitism: mid-nineteenth to the twenty-first century Esther Webman
24. Anti-Zionism as antisemitism Dina Porat
25. New issues Deborah Lipstadt
26. Antisemitism in social media and on the Web Mark Weitzman
27. Theories on the causes of antisemitism Bruno Chaouat.

Subject Areas: Jewish studies [JFSR1], History of ideas [JFCX], European history [HBJD]