Antisemitism
"The hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews." Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
According to former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky, the 3Ds - Demonization, Delegitimization and Double Standards - are the main tools that antisemites have employed against Jews throughout history. The demonization of Jewish people, delegitimization of their faith or nationhood, and double standards applied to Jews created fertile soil for pogroms, expulsions and genocide.
This guide presents selected resources in the UCLA Library and beyond on the histories, geographies, and mutations of antisemitism across time and space.
For sources specifically on the Holocaust, please see Jewish Holocaust (1939-1945) (in process)
Quick links
ISGAP (The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy) - ISGAP is dedicated to scholarly research into the origins, processes, and manifestations of global antisemitism and of other forms of prejudice, including various forms of racism, as they relate to policy in an age of globalization. On the basis of this examination of antisemitism and policy, ISGAP disseminates analytical and scholarly materials to help combat hatred and promote understanding.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) - The only intergovernmental organization with a mandate focused on addressing contemporary challenges related to the Holocaust and genocide of the Roma. It includes a Useful Sources page on antisemitism with classroom ideas and tools for combatting Holocaust denial.
The IHRA definition of antisemitism and resources. IHRA's non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
European Union, European Commission - Definition of Antisemitism; Combating Antisemitism
Decoding Antisemitism - “Decoding Antisemitism” is an interdisciplinary and transnational research project that examines antisemitism online, focusing on the political mainstream of selected European societies – the UK, France and Germany. Antisemitic discourse on the internet provides insights into the present and future of an ideology of hate which, due to its adaptability, permeates all social milieus and is currently experiencing a new high – not least due to the specific character of web communication.
United States Department of State: Defining Antisemitism - "The [IHRA] definition is consistent with and builds upon the information contained in the 2010 State Department definition. As a member of IHRA, the United States now uses this working definition and has encouraged other governments and international organizations to use it as well."
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Definitions and pedagogical ideas
United Nations - The [UN] Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief explores the global phenomenon of antisemitism – prejudice against, or hatred of, Jews – and its impact on the right to freedom of religion or belief of Jewish individuals and communities worldwide.
Reference Sources on Antisemitism
- The Cambridge Companion to Antisemitism byCall Number: Online; Restricted to UCLAISBN: 1108637728Date: 2022-05-05A 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.
Dictionary of Antisemitism by ISBN: 9780810858626Date: 2007-01-04The term "antisemitism" was coined by Wilhelm Marr in 1879. Marr's secular, political racism existed inconsistently alongside his religious anti-Semitism. His self-proclaimed goal was "to free Christianity from the yoke of Judaism." While the term might not have existed before the 19th century, the persecution of the Jewish people dates back more than three thousand years. The Dictionary of Antisemitism is the first and only dictionary ever published that is dedicated solely to this subject. Spanning 3,000 years of antagonism to Jews, the dictionary details not only "the longest hatred," but also the most widespread, covering the five major continents. A comprehensive scholarly introduction discusses the definitions, causes, and varieties of antisemitism before the dictionary gets into the specifics. The dictionary section itself contains 2,500 entries, ranging from "Aaron of Lincoln" to "Zyklon." Entries can be found on all forms of antisemitism, such as ancient, medieval, and modern antisemitism; pagan, Christian, and Muslim antisemitism; and religious, economic, psychosocial, racial, cultural, and political antisemitism. This essential dictionary provides comprehensive coverage on this compelling subject, and as such, it will remain important for years to come.
Antisemitism: a historical encyclopedia of prejudice and persecution by ISBN: 9781851094394Date: 2005-05-24Written by top scholars in an accessible manner, this unique encyclopedia offers worldwide coverage of the origins, forms, practitioners, and effects of antisemitism, leading to the Holocaust and surviving to the present day. The word "antisemite" was first used to describe a politically motivated enemy of the Jews in 1879. The subject of antisemitism has often been focused on the Holocaust; however, current events and history have much to add to this discussion. For example, in 1995 a Japanese pseudo-Buddhist religious cult, imagining itself to be under attack by Jews, released sarin gas on the Tokyo subway, killing 12. From 1881 to 1900 there were 128 public accusations of Jewish "ritual murder" allegedly involving the killing of Christian children to use their blood for religious purposes. Entries in this encyclopedia span the period from ancient Egypt to the modern era. Key theoreticians of Jew-hatred and their written works, its permeation of Christianity and modern Islam, and its political, artistic, and economic manifestations are covered. This is the first comprehensive work that deals with the entire history of ideas and practices that engendered the Holocaust. 650 A-Z entries by over 200 scholars from 21 countries Illustrations such as caricatures, political cartoons, maps, and pictures of famous antisemites and historical episodes Citations of recent literature that follow each entry Detailed index listing people, places, concepts, and events that enables users to find information about subjects not treated in dedicated articles Direction at the end of each entry to other articles with special relevance to the topic
