Retour sur la question juive
Book Description
What does it mean to be Jewish, and what drives the recurring passion surrounding antisemitism throughout history? Élisabeth Roudinesco embarks on a profound exploration of these enduring questions, tracing the complex evolution of Jewish identity and anti-Jewish sentiment across centuries.
This thoughtful examination begins by distinguishing between medieval anti-Judaism and the supposedly emancipatory anti-Judaism of the Enlightenment era, challenging contemporary claims that equate all forms of opposition from Voltaire to Hitler. Roudinesco guides readers through the major stages of antisemitism's development in Europe, revealing how these attitudes shaped both Jewish and non-Jewish consciousness.
The narrative moves between Vienna and Paris to explore the birth of Zionist ideology and its varied reception across Arab nations and within the Jewish diaspora itself. Here emerges a fascinating tension between three competing legitimacies, crystallizing into the fundamental debate between the "universal Jew" and the "territorial Jew." The author examines how influential thinkers like Freud and Jung contributed decisively to this ongoing dialogue.
Following the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the Eichmann trial in 1961, new dimensions of this ancient question emerged, including the disturbing underground notion that the Holocaust was a Jewish fabrication. Roudinesco concludes by addressing a contemporary puzzle: why have intellectual and literary trials concerning antisemitism multiplied so dramatically in recent decades?
This scholarly yet accessible work offers readers a nuanced understanding of how historical forces continue to shape modern spiritual and cultural identity.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~9 hours)
📄 Length: 320 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Christianity and antisemitism
- ✓ Explore timeless philosophical wisdom
- ✓ Explore Antisemitism
- ✓ Explore Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
- ✓ Explore Relations
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Legal status, laws
