DEFINITIONS:

A. TERMS:

1. Judaism - refers to the religion

2. Jewish - refers to practicioners of the religion Judaism

Ashkenazi - a term used to refer to Jews who settled in northern Europe.

Sephardic - a term used to refer to Jews who settled in around the Mediterranean Sea.

3. swastika - a symbol of national socialism.

4. Hebrew - a term which refers to the speakers of the Hebrew language.

5. Israeli - a term which refers to citizens of the modern state of Israel.

6. Israelites - a term used to refer to people of the old kingdom of Israel refered to in the Bible.

7. ghetto- refers to a area used to segregate one group from another. It usually refers to a less than desirable place to live that one group has been forced to occupy for polical or economic reasons.

8. pogrom - a raid on a community which results in damage to property and often loss of life.

Here is a couple of links to sources with a timeline and summary of Holocaust history.

B. CONCEPTS:

1. Anti-Semitism - a term used for the hatred of the Jews and other Semites (Arabs, Moslems), a type of prejudice.

2. stereotyping: a process of depicting things, activities and people for easy recognition that selects certain traits as typical of a class of object. It focusing on the things the objects have in common: use, shape, practices, appearance and places less emphasis on individuals or variation.

One source for the development of stereotypes for different groups of people comes from their observable behavor such as dress, religious practice, skin color or customs. Many of these are derived from the survival strategies developed by the group to exist in hostile conditions of either a physical or social environment. Stereotypes are often the result of limitations placed on a group that creates the characteristics identified with the group as well as practices by the group that differ from other surrounding groups.

a. EXAMPLES: SHYLOCK (character in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice), Jew as money lender, merchant. ( see Shylock by John Gross Touchstone Press, 1992 for a fuller treatment of the topic)

b. TRAITS: social: miserly, clannish, sly, clever,mony-loving, etc.

physical: long nose, wears a pointed hat or yellow marker badge, has long dark curly hair, etc.

The virtues of the majority come to be defined as the vices of the minority, e.g. thrift = miserliness, love of family = clannishness.

3. scapegoating - as sacrifice - accepting the idea that another being can be used to expiate ones sins, guilt or blame.

- as mental process - accepting the transfer of problems, frustrations, anger from oneself to others.

In both processes, the scapegoat is not responsible for the existing condition but is available, vulnerable and powerless to prevent this.

4. collective guilt - a cancept term which refers to the process of holding the group accountable for the acts of individual members both in present time and the past.

5. guilt by association - a process that is used to attribute behaviors and beliefs to individuals who are associated with a particular group or other individuals. This is a variation on the concept of collective guilt.

6. Middle Man Minorities: the position of immigrant groups in established communities. (see the readings on Overseas Chinese and section from Pierre van den Berghe)

HOLOCAUST = GENOCIDE

BACKGROUND HISTORY OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN EUROPE

I. DIASPORA 70. A.D. MIGRATION (FORCED/VOLUNTARY)

JEWS FORCED TO MIGRATE OUT OF THE AREA OF THE MIDDLE EAST INTO RUSSIA, EASTERN AND WESTERN EUROPE. LATER TO THE U. S.

2. RELIGION

CHRISTIANITY - PROSELYTIZING, growing by conversion, (Judaism doesn't, membership by birth)

Collective guilt the church taught "All Jews share in the responsibility of those Jewish elders as Christ killers." persistent belief in the treachery f the Jewish people.

Christian practice affects the economic positions of the Jews - prohibition on usury(lending money for profit or interest)

Christian control of economy allows few areas for Jews to expand. In Russia, separate farming villages, in Western Europe fewer ares to exploit, become tax collectors, pawn brokers, money lenders. Insecurity of position affects occupational choices - need to mobility, easy access to wealth - traders, gold, jewels. build family business across territories.

3. IN-GROUP VIRTUES BECOME OUT-GROUP VICES:

seen as clannish, .literacy - ability to read and writ Hebrew/Yiddish necessary for religious practice therefore most Jews were literate at a time when most Christians weren't.

Literacy enables Jews to move into certain jobs - scribes, merchants, newly developing professions

Fear of Jews lead to period repression - Inquisition, pogroms, dispelling of Jews from the community to gain relief from debts.

Jewish occupations bring Jews into daily contact with Christian neighbors but often in time of trouble so trouble or difficulties are often associated with Jews : e.g.: tax collection, money lending, grocery - can't pay bills, doctor, lawyer.

4. MAJORITY COMES TO DEFINE THE MINORITY

This is done through decisions made by the majority that limit the actions of the minority and by the way in which the group is depicted in various media.

Return to Soc 315 or Soc 315 schedule