Antisemitisms: A History of Jew Hating

Why do Jews continue to serve as targets of hatred – and how coherent is the idea of antisemitism itself? In Antisemitisms, Sander L. Gilman argues that such hatreds are less stable and more opportunistic than is often assumed. Tracing fantasies of Jewish difference – from appearance and biology to citizenship, nationhood and ‘self-hatred’ – he reveals how contradictory ideas have been used to justify exclusion and violence. This book moves beyond the familiar frameworks such as ‘eternal hatred’ to show how antisemitic and even philosemitic attitudes shift to suit changing political needs. As violence against Jews is on the rise once more, Gilman offers a clear, sobering account of what’s at stake.