Martedì 14 marzo, ore 18:30 (5.30 pm GMT)

Seminario della Humanities Society del Wolfson College, Università di Cambridge

Respondent: Gianmarco Mancosu (CIRN Fellow, CRASSH)

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This paper deconstructs the paradigm of French anti-Semitism during the interwar period through a particular perspective, focusing not so much on its ideological or discursive dimension but rather examining it as a social practice. Taking a micro-historical approach, the talk examines the emergence of ‘street anti-Semitism’ during the 1930s: incidents caused by the sale of certain newspapers, the posting of anti-Semitic propaganda materials and leafleting constituted some of the most common anti-Jewish practices throughout the decade. The talk focuses on four cities in particular: Paris, Strasbourg, Lyon and Oran (Algeria). In particular, it delves into the experience of ordinary violence and street anti-Semitism in the French town of Oran by examining the agency of local actors in fanning or smothering the flames of anti-Jewish resentments during the 1930s, focusing on the role of Abbé (abbe) Lambert – a priest and maire of the Algerian town from 1934 to 1941 – and his power relations with other political actors, such as the French Governor, the Muslim and European communities, etc.