New Books Network Mark Mazower, "On Antisemitism: A Word in History" (Penguin Press, 2025)
Oct 26, 2025
Mark Mazower, the Ira D. Wallach Professor of History at Columbia University and an expert on modern Europe, discusses his new book, featuring a deep dive into the evolving meanings of antisemitism. He explores its historical roots, from 19th-century politics to the rise of Nazi ideology. Mazower highlights the shift in antisemitism's perception, linking it to contemporary issues like anti-Zionism and the complexities of Jewish-Black civil rights coalitions. He critically examines how current definitions impact free speech and political discourse.
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Political Origins Of Modern Antisemitism
- Antisemitism as a political project crystallized in the 1870s with mass politics and opposition to Jewish enfranchisement.
- The term 'antisemite' emerged to mark a political movement aiming to prevent Jews' full citizenship.
Regional Variations And Early Internationalism
- Antisemitism varied across Europe by national, cultural, and religious contexts, producing different political forms.
- Early anti-Semites quickly sought international ties, prompting parallel Jewish mobilization abroad.
Nazism Elevated Antisemitism To State Policy
- Nazism radicalized earlier anti-Semite politics by making anti-Jewish policy central to its world-historical mission.
- The Nazi state forced Europe and the world to treat antisemitism as an urgent political problem.
