Allosemitism and cosmisation

Jens Carlesson Magalhães,Fredrik Jansson

doi:10.30752/nj.110669

Jens Carlesson Magalhães, Fredrik Jansson

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.30752/nj.110669

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Abstract

In this article, we explore the fruitfulness of seeing allosemitism as an aspect of cosmisation. We explore possible tropes such as creating order from chaos, embracing Christian identity and supersessionism, and legitimising the Bible’s truth claims. Drawing from the Swedish press of the period 1770–1900, allosemitism and cosmisation are explored through the lens of three tenacious myths, all of which date back centuries: Blood Libel, the Wandering Jew and Israelite Indians. The ‘Jew’ as the Other is frequent in previous research. The combination of allosemitism and cosmisation gives us another way to explain the Othering of the ‘Jew’: expressions of allosemitism in a world-creating process.

Highlights

During the long nineteenth century (1776– 1914), the ancien régime was gradually dismantled throughout Europe: European Jews were emancipated from the old order; science and scholarship gained prestige; old religious institutions were increasingly questioned; and an interest in folklore grew amongst scholars.1 At the same time, technological advances in printing, as well as the world’s first freedom of the press act from 1766,2 made it easier to distribute newspapers (Holmberg 2000: 26–7)
In this article, we explore the fruitfulness of seeing allosemitism as an aspect of cosmisation
Drawing from the Swedish press of the period 1770–1900, allosemitism and cosmisation are explored through the lens of three tenacious myths, all of which date back centuries: Blood Libel, the Wandering Jew and Israelite Indians

Summary

Introduction

During the long nineteenth century (1776– 1914), the ancien régime was gradually dismantled throughout Europe: European Jews were emancipated from the old order; science and scholarship gained prestige; old religious institutions were increasingly questioned; and an interest in folklore grew amongst scholars. At the same time, technological advances in printing, as well as the world’s first freedom of the press act from 1766,2 made it easier to distribute newspapers (Holmberg 2000: 26–7). Technological advances in printing, as well as the world’s first freedom of the press act from 1766,2 made it easier to distribute newspapers (Holmberg 2000: 26–7). During this period, newspapers became ever more common – they trickled down in society, and were read by an increasingly larger public. Newspapers became medi ators of myths about Jews and Judaism. Many myths about Jews and Judaism have circulated in Sweden, as they have elsewhere in the world. We will focus on three of these myths: Blood Libel, the Wandering Jew and the Israelite Indian in the Swedish press

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