Antisemitism

Antisemitism and the Emergence of Sociological Theory, Manchester, UK,
31 October-2 November, 2008

Modern antisemitism and modern sociological theory not only emerged in the
same period but, as much as these discourses might have been antagonistic or
even hostile to each other, they also overlapped and complemented each
other. Both responded to the same set of causes: the limits and crises of
modern society, especially the capitalist mode of production, and the
desire, or urgency, to limit what their proponents saw as the negative
impacts of modernity. Furthermore, many of those who formulated the classic
contributions to both discourses shared a general intellectual background in
nationalist liberalism. The conference is designed to explore this
constellation.

Contributions are encouraged that do at least one of the following:
§         discuss comments by sociologists (or those who helped, especially
in the last third of the nineteenth century, constitute the discipline) on
antisemitism and ‘the Jewish Question’;
§         explore the antisemites’ opinions on sociology, such as the notion
of its supposed ‘Jewishness’;
§         examine and compare what antisemites on the one hand, sociologists
on the other, had to say about those subjects that were central to the
thinking of either group, including money, usury, modernity, labour,
individualism, community, society, social reform, socialism, state, culture,
religion, the spirit of capitalism, and capitalist development;
§         investigate the extent to which classical sociology was either
influenced by antisemitic ideas or was constructed in opposition to
antisemitic ideas.

Comparative approaches with respect to persons, texts and national contexts
are particularly encouraged.

The conference will take place at the University of Manchester, UK, on the
weekend 31 October-2 November, 2008. Also those who anticipate they will not
be able to attend but would like to contribute to subsequent publications (a
relevant scholarly journal and/or an edited volume) are encouraged to get in
touch. Keynote speakers to date will include Detlev Claussen (Hannover) and
Robert Fine (Warwick). Deadline for paper proposals (up to 500 words plus
short CV) is 9 March, 2008, to be submitted to
Marcel.Stoetzler@

manchester.

ac.uk .

The conference will be hosted by the Centre for Jewish Studies and the
Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in the Arts, The University of
Manchester.