Contemporary Left Antisemitism by David Hirsch questions and exposes the many faces of Jewish hatred based on various examples from the British left. The fact that it focuses mostly on the British example may be considered extraordinary, but in fact based on the author´s sociological approach helps to further explore and identify similarities in the case of other leftish movements around the world.
Everything and everyone is covered in the smallest details: Corby, Ken Livingstone, the intellectuals supporting the academic boycott of Israel and the BDS and pro-Hamas/Hizbullah supporters. However, I would have expected a more historical-contextual approach in addition to the sociological take, as it helps to explain the British antisemitism in its entirety, as a long-term phenomenon instead of just an episode of the left wing orientation.
The book is informative, with reliable data, including the author´s personal involvement in various testimonies and first hand experience of antisemitism, particularly in the academic field. By sharing the experience it offers intellectual support for formulating answers and replies and countering its effects through education and intellectual accountability.
Personally, I am looking for an extensive anaylsis of the French left - from the 1960s onwards - as it offers another interesting example where the socialist ideology meets easily the negative projection of the Jews and the Jewish state. That´s all I want to write as for now.
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