Different Types of Orientalism and Corresponding Views of Jews and Judaism: A Historical Overview of Shifting Perceptions and Stereotypes

Abstract

The goal of this article is to examine the various forms of Orientalism generated by the East-West distinction in European thought and the complexity of corresponding perceptions of Judaism and Jews that emerged as a consequence. What have been the major shifts in European self-perception and in European perceptions of Jews and Judaism if one traces Europe’s orientation in terms of East and West? My starting point is not in Jewish history, but in Europe’s worldview and self-perception. The East-West parameter both predates and postdates the historical stages of Orientalism. The article offers two typologies of Orientalism: a historical typology that distinguishes between religious, philosophical, imperialist, and artistic forms of Orientalism; and, an intercultural communication typology of the Oriental Other based on two scales ranging from foreign to familiar and from threatening to interesting. Both typologies demonstrate that Orientalism is a complex phenomenon that cannot be reduced to a single form. Moreover, when applied to current definitions and expressions of antisemitism the second typology shows how these definitions and expressions vary considerably depending on different forms of interaction between the Self and the Other. Neither Orientalism nor antisemitism are monolithic.