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The Ideology of Antisemitism: On Its Persistent Presence as Resentment and Worldview in the Global Age
Author(s): Rensmann, Lars
Editor(s): Beyer, Heiko; Schauer, Alexandra
Date: 2026
Topics: Antisemitism, Main Topic: Antisemitism, Theory
Abstract: The chapter explores the enduring ideological nature of antisemitism as a conspiracist worldview that transcends conventional definitions of prejudice. Challenging both the “post-ideological” thesis and narrow sociological concepts of ideology, the chapter positions modern antisemitism as a paradigmatic form of social and political ideology—hermetic, totalizing, and adaptive. Drawing on intellectual history, critical theory, and contemporary empirical studies, the text traces the ideological evolution of antisemitism from the nineteenth century to today’s authoritarian-populist and anti-Zionist movements. The chapter highlights antisemitism’s distinctive features: its amorphous, projection-driven structure; its role as a container for contradictory resentments; and its powerful emotional and conspiratorial appeal. In doing so, it contributes to a critical theory of ideology attuned to the transformations and resurgences of antisemitic thought in the twenty-first century.