Critical Theories of Anti-Semitism: A Conversation with Jonathan Judaken
Thursday, September 12, 2024 6 PM to 7 PM
About this Event
Umrath Hall, St. Louis, MO 63130
https://jimes.wustl.edu/events/critical-theories-anti-semitism-conversation-jonathan-judakenThe Department of Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies (JIMES) and the Department of History will host a book event and public conversation featuring Prof. Jonathan Judaken, discussing his new book "Critical Theories of Anti-Semitism" (Columbia University Press, 2024).
Prof. Judaken will engage in a dialogue with Professors Flora Cassen, Adrienne Davis, and Mark Oppenheimer, exploring the complex issues surrounding antisemitism and Judeophobia, critical theories, and their contemporary relevance. This event aims to be a celebration of Prof. Judaken's scholarly achievement and a public forum for discussing these important topics, including the definitions, causes, and targets of antisemitism, the evolution of Judeophobia from medieval times to the present, and the intersections between antisemitism and other forms of racism.
The event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Umrath Lounge on the Danforth campus of Washington University in St. Louis. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the main program at 6:00 p.m.
About the Book: "Critical Theories of Anti-Semitism" offers a philosophical reflection on crucial problems in analyzing antisemitism and a history of its leading theories and theorists. Judaken explores methodological and conceptual issues that have vexed the study of Judeophobia and calls for a reconsideration of the definitions, categories, and narratives that underpin overarching explanations. The book examines theories from thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, the Frankfurt School, Hannah Arendt, and Jean-François Lyotard, alongside works of sociologists and historians. Judaken argues against claims about the uniqueness of Judeophobia, demonstrating how it is entangled with other forms of racism and discrimination.