21 February 2013

The term “new Antisemitism” and differences and similarities between Anti-Zionism, antisemitism, and hatred against Israel have led to fierce debates among scholars. Instead of insulting each other and imagining themselves in a kind of “war”, Günther Jikeli argues, scholars would do better to look into the arguments and empirical evidence. Continue reading →

G. Jikeli, J. Allouche-Benayoun (eds.), Perceptions of the Holocaust in Europe and Muslim Communities. Sources, Comparisons and Educational Challenges. Dordrecht; New York: Springer 2013.

The way people think about the Holocaust is changing. The particular nature of the transformation depends on people’s historical perspectives and how they position themselves and their nation or community vis-à-vis the tragedy. Understandably, European Muslims perceive the Holocaust as less central to their history than do other Europeans. Yet while the acknowledgment and commemoration of the horrors of the Holocaust are increasingly important in Europe, Holocaust denial and biased views on the Holocaust are widespread in European Muslims’ countries of origin. In this book, a number of distinguished scholars and educators of various backgrounds discuss views of the Holocaust, explore the backgrounds of biased perceptions but also highlight positive approaches and developments. Many of the contributions were written by people working in the field and reflecting on their experiences. Continue reading →