The Changing Face of Anti-Semitism : From Ancient Times to the Present Day

For thirty years the director of the Wiener Library in London—the leading institute for the study of anti-Semitism—Walter Laqueur here offers both a comprehensive history of anti-Semitism as well as an illuminating look at the newest wave of this phenomenon. Laqueur begins with an invaluable historical account of this pernicious problem, tracing the evolution from a predominantly religious anti-Semitism—stretching back to the middle ages—to a racial anti-Semitism that developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The author then uses this historical account as backdrop to a brilliant analysis of the newest species of anti-Semitism, explaining its origins and rationale, how it manifests itself, in what ways and why it is different from anti-Semitism in past ages, and what forms it may take in the future. The book reveals that what was historically a preoccupation of Christian and right-wing movements has become in our time even more frequent among Muslims and left-wing groups. Moreover, Laqueur argues that we can't simply equate this new anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism and write it off as merely anti-Israel sentiments. If Israel alone is singled out for heated condemnation, is the root of this reaction simply anti-Zionism or is it anti-Semitism? Here is both a summing up of the entire trajectory of anti-Semitism—the first comprehensive history of its kind—and an exploration of the new wave of anti-Semitism. Walter Laqueur provides us with powerful new insights into an age-old problem. Distinguished scholarship and an authoritative moral voice are the hallmarks of this important book. Anyone wanting to understand the history and persistence of anti-Jewish hatred should read it. —Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League Library Journal One of the difficulties in writing a short, comprehensive history of anti-Semitism is that the subject is too vast and the subfields too diverse to do justice to the overall complexity. Despite these pitfalls, Laqueur provides an interesting general analysis of the variations of anti-Semitism over the past 2000 years. While his discussion of its 19th- and 20th-century manifestations does not break any new historiographical ground, he does provide an important analysis of how Jewish perceptions of anti-Semitism shifted since the 19th century from some level of self-blame that is, Jews accepting some responsibility for hostility because of their own actions to a realization that anti-Semitism is at its basic level an irrational belief system. Laqueur's major strength is his critique of contemporary issues, especially the role of Israel in anti-Semitic thought, and the question of the relationship between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. While he is not an apologist for all Israeli policy, Laqueur's most controversial interpretation is to assert that if Israel were as resource-rich as Russia (which has engaged in a brutal war against Muslims in Chechnya), or as economically powerful as China (with its attendant human rights abuses), it would not occupy its current position in contemporary discourse. Recommended for both public and academic libraries. Frederic Krome, Jacob Rader Marcus Ctr. of the American Jewish Archives Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

For thirty years the director of the Wiener Library in London—the leading institute for the study of anti-Semitism—Walter Laqueur here offers both a comprehensive history of anti-Semitism as well as an illuminating look at the newest wave of this phenomenon.
Laqueur begins with an invaluable historical account of this pernicious problem, tracing the evolution from a predominantly religious anti-Semitism—stretching back to the middle ages—to a racial anti-Semitism that developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The author then uses this historical account as backdrop to a brilliant analysis of the newest species of anti-Semitism, explaining its origins and rationale, how it manifests itself, in what ways and why it is different from anti-Semitism in past ages, and what forms it may take in the future. The book reveals that what was historically a preoccupation of Christian and right-wing movements has become in our time even more frequent among Muslims and left-wing groups. Moreover, Laqueur argues that we can't simply equate this new anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism and write it off as merely anti-Israel sentiments. If Israel alone is singled out for heated condemnation, is the root of this reaction simply anti-Zionism or is it anti-Semitism?
Here is both a summing up of the entire trajectory of anti-Semitism—the first comprehensive history of its kind—and an exploration of the new wave of anti-Semitism.

"Walter Laqueur provides us with powerful new insights into an age-old problem. Distinguished scholarship and an authoritative moral voice are the hallmarks of this important book. Anyone wanting to understand the history and persistence of anti-Jewish hatred should read it."
—Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League

Annotation. For thirty years the director of the Wiener Library in London, the leading institute for the study of anti-Semitism, Walter Laqueur here offers both a comprehensive history of anti-Semitism as well as an illuminating look at the newest wave of this phenomenon. Laqueur begins with an invaluable historical account of this pernicious problem, tracing the evolution from a predominantly religious anti-Semitism--stretching back to the middle ages--to a racial anti-Semitism that developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The author then uses thishistorical account as backdrop to a brilliant analysis of the newest species of anti-Semitism, explaining its origins and rationale, how it manifests itself, in what ways and why it is different from anti-Semitism in past ages, and what forms it may take in the future. The book reveals that what washistorically a preoccupation of Christian and right-wing movements has become in our time even more frequent among Muslims and left-wing groups. Moreover, Laqueur argues that we can't simply equate this new anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism and write it off as merely anti-Israel sentiments. If Israelalone is singled out for heated condemnation, is the root of this reaction simply anti-Zionism or is it anti-Semitism? Here is both a summing up of the entire trajectory of anti-Semitism--the first comprehensive history of its kind--and an exploration of the new wave of anti-Semitism. "Walter Laqueur provides us with powerful new insights into an age-old problem. Distinguished scholarship and an authoritative moral voice are the hallmarks of this important book. Anyone wanting to understand the history and persistence of anti-Jewish hatred should read it."--Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League For thirty years the director of the Wiener Library in London, the leading institute for the study of anti-Semitism, Walter Laqueur here offers both a comprehensive history of anti-Semitism as well as an illuminating look at the newest wave of this phenomenon. Laqueur begins with an invaluable historical account of this pernicious problem, tracing the evolution from a predominantly religious anti-Semitism--stretching back to the middle ages--to a racial anti-Semitism that developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The author then uses this historical account as backdrop to a brilliant analysis of the newest species of anti-Semitism, explaining its origins and rationale, how it manifests itself, in what ways and why it is different from anti-Semitism in past ages, and what forms it may take in the future. The book reveals that what was historically a preoccupation of Christian and right-wing movements has become in our time even more frequent among Muslims and left-wing groups. Moreover, Laqueur argues that we can't simply equate this new anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism and write it off as merely anti-Israel sentiments. National and religious minority groups have been systematically persecuted from Indonesia, to Bangladesh, Rwanda, and beyond, but their fate has not generated much indignation in Europe and America. If Israel alone is singled out for heated condemnation, is the root of this reaction simply anti-Zionism or is it anti-Semitism? Here is both a summing up of the entire trajectory of anti-Semitism--the first comprehensive history of its kind--and an exploration of the new wave of anti-Semitism that will be of interest to all concerned about the future of Jews, Judaism, and Israel. --Publisher s/t: From Ancient Times to the Present Day "For thirty years the director of the Wiener Library in London, the leading institute for the study of antisemitism, Walter Laqueur here offers both a comprehensive history of antisemitism as well as a look at the newest wave of this phenomenon." Here is both a summing up of the entire trajectory of antisemitism - the first comprehensive history of its kind - and an exploration of the new wave of antisemitism that will be of interest to all concerned about the future of Jews, Judaism, and Israel. Presenting a history of anti-Semitism, this book traces its evolution from a religious anti-Semitism of the middle ages to a racial anti-Semitism that developed in the 19th and 20th centuries. It explains its origins and rationale, how it manifests itself, the different forms of anti-Semitism, and what forms it may take. The new antisemitism Interpretations of antisemitism Ancient and medieval anti-Judaism Enlightenment and after Racialism and Jewish conspiracies Towards the Holocaust Contemporary antisemitism Assimilation and its discontents Antisemitism and the left Jews and the Muslim world.