Ari Joskowicz. The Modernity of Others

At first sight, the topic of Ari Joskowicz's excellent study of political and cultural milieus in nineteenth-century France and Germany does not invite particular excitement. There already exists a rich body of historical literature that analyzes the different paths of modernity in Europe's long nineteenth century, and France and Germany have received elaborate attention in these scholarly debates. Furthermore, the advancement of secularization and political integration of French and German Jews has been equally considered, especially their seemingly divergent trajectories and place-specific complexities. That we should not judge a book by its cover, however, becomes apparent when Joskowicz explains his methodology and objectives. His analysis substantiates the claim for comparative history as it generates new information, insights, and conclusions. The Modernity of Others: Jewish Anti-Catholicism in Germany and France proposes that French and German Jews employed the rhetoric of anticlericalism and anti-Catholicism to articulate their own visions of proper religiosity, modern citizenship, and national belonging. In post-Enlightenment Europe, the Catholic Church represented tradition rather than progress, transnational allegiance rather than national loyalty. Actively participating in the confrontation between liberals and Catholics, and openly criticizing the Church and its clergy allowed Jews in France and Germany alike to present themselves as modern citizens. From the late Enlightenment and the revolutionary politics of the late eighteenth century to the rise of mass political movements and fervent nationalism in fin-de-siècle Europe, Jews could address the major issues of their day by overtly and publicly distancing themselves from the Catholic Church, by presenting themselves as enlightened insiders as opposed to the perfidious “other.” Despite different national contexts, urban Jews in France and Germany shared these sentiments and tactics to achieve similar aims, i.e., political and social acceptance. Joskowicz suggests, then, that their histories are not as separate and distinct as previously assumed and that in both cases “anti-Catholic anticlericalism constituted a foundational element of modern Jewish politics” (p. 3).

Allegiance · Enlightenment · German · Judaism · Modernity · Nationalism · Political science · Politics · Secularism · Secularization · Sociology · Theology · Communism, Protests, Social Movements · European Political History Analysis · Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis · History · Law · Philosophy · Religious studies