A critique of classical psychoanalytic theories of anti-Semitism: a commentary on M. Ostrow's myth and madness: the psychodynamics of anti-Semitism.

Abstract

With impressive achievements in clinical psychoanalysis, psychopathology, Jewish behavior, and theology Mortimer Ostow (1996) has here pitted himself against anti-Semitism—a blaze that at times wanes, enabling Jews to enjoy a golden era, only to be set aflame anew. Elegantly, effectively, the author unravels those pivotal constructions, the perennial myths that, giving cogent narrative form to sundry animosities toward Jews, can set the match to persecutory flare-ups. Ostow recruited about twenty eminent colleagues, mostly psychoanalysts, who met regularly over a nine-year period, initially to study analytic patients who were anti-Semitic. However, even with the case presentations by visiting therapists, there was a paucity of suitable patients, and of these, only two or three were true anti-Semites as opposed to sporadically sputtering anti-Semitic sentiments. Mostly, spewing venom was triggered by a bit of trouble such as in the transference with a Jewish analyst or rivalry with or rejection by a Jew. So rather unremarkable findings resulted: No diagnostic entity predominated, true anti-Semites had more problems regulating hostility, and many patients displayed anti-Semitism that was ego-syntonic but superego-dystonic, i.e., prejudices were acknowledged but caused guilt. I wonder whether an anti-Semite in analysis is unrepresentative by virtue of being characterized by a desire to reclaim unintegrated psychic components shoved onto Jews rather than to continue his mind's partitions. Also, could other types of categories such as employed in The Authoritarian Personality (Adorno et al., 1950) turn up more correspondences of personality characteristics and anti-Semitism? Ostow does not dissemble this setback. Rather he and the group re