Remembering the Holocaust
A Debate
Published on 6. August 2009
Book
Hardback
224 pages
978-0-19-532622-2 (ISBN)
Description
Remembering the Holocaust explains why the Holocaust has come to be considered the central event of the 20th century, and what this means. Presenting Jeffrey Alexander's controversial essay that, in the words of Geoffrey Hartman, has already become a classic in the Holocaust literature, and following up with challenging and equally provocative responses to it, this book offers a sweeping historical reconstruction of the Jewish mass murder as it evolved in the popular imagination of Western peoples, as well as an examination of its consequences.
Alexander's inquiry points to a broad cultural transition that took place in Western societies after World War II: from confidence in moving past the most terrible of Nazi wartime atrocities to pessimism about the possibility for overcoming violence, ethnic conflict, and war. The Holocaust has become the central tragedy of modern times, an event which can no longer be overcome, but one that offers possibilities to extend its moral lessons beyond Jews to victims of other types of secular and religious strife. Following Alexander's controversial thesis is a series of responses by distinguished scholars in the humanities and social sciences--Martin Jay, Bernhard Giesen, Michael Rothberg, Robert Manne, Nathan Glazer, and Elihu & Ruth Katz--considering the implications of the universal moral relevance of the Holocaust. A final response from Alexander in a postscript focusing on the repercussions of the Holocaust in Israel concludes this forthright and engaging discussion.
Remembering the Holocaust is an all-too-rare debate on our conception of the Holocaust, how it has evolved over the years, and the profound effects it will have on the way we envision the future.
Alexander's inquiry points to a broad cultural transition that took place in Western societies after World War II: from confidence in moving past the most terrible of Nazi wartime atrocities to pessimism about the possibility for overcoming violence, ethnic conflict, and war. The Holocaust has become the central tragedy of modern times, an event which can no longer be overcome, but one that offers possibilities to extend its moral lessons beyond Jews to victims of other types of secular and religious strife. Following Alexander's controversial thesis is a series of responses by distinguished scholars in the humanities and social sciences--Martin Jay, Bernhard Giesen, Michael Rothberg, Robert Manne, Nathan Glazer, and Elihu & Ruth Katz--considering the implications of the universal moral relevance of the Holocaust. A final response from Alexander in a postscript focusing on the repercussions of the Holocaust in Israel concludes this forthright and engaging discussion.
Remembering the Holocaust is an all-too-rare debate on our conception of the Holocaust, how it has evolved over the years, and the profound effects it will have on the way we envision the future.
Reviews / Votes
This volume brings together a classical and controversial essay on the Holocaust by the sociologist Jeffrey Alexander with a spectrum of new commentaries by distinguished scholars in the humanities and social sciences...The Holocaust remains the generalized symbol of evil, but it is clear from these essays, Alexander's rejoinder, and ongoing global secular and religious strife that its moral lessons have not been universally absorbed. * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
522 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-532622-2 (9780195326222)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
07/2009
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€16.49
Available for download
E-Book
07/2009
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€23.99
Available for download
Persons
Jeffrey C. Alexander is the Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology and Co-Director, Center for Cultural Sociology at Yale University.
Contributors
Martin Jay is the Sidney Hellman Ehrman Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley.
Robert Manne is Professor of Politics at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
Michael Rothberg is Associate Professor of English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Elihu Katz is Trustee Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Communication at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Scientific Director of the Guttman Institute of Applied Social Research.
Ruth Katz is the Emanuel Alexander Professor Emerita of Musicology at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
Bernhard Giesen is Professor of Sociology and Chair of the Department of Macrosociology at Universitaet Konstanz (Germany).
Nathan Glazer is Professor of Education Emeritus at Harvard University
Contributors
Martin Jay is the Sidney Hellman Ehrman Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley.
Robert Manne is Professor of Politics at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
Michael Rothberg is Associate Professor of English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Elihu Katz is Trustee Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Communication at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Scientific Director of the Guttman Institute of Applied Social Research.
Ruth Katz is the Emanuel Alexander Professor Emerita of Musicology at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
Bernhard Giesen is Professor of Sociology and Chair of the Department of Macrosociology at Universitaet Konstanz (Germany).
Nathan Glazer is Professor of Education Emeritus at Harvard University
Author
Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology and Co-Director, Center for Cultural SociologyLillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology and Co-Director, Center for Cultural Sociology, Yale University
Co-Author
Sidney Hellman Ehrman Professor of HistorySidney Hellman Ehrman Professor of History, University of California, Berkeley
Professor of Sociology and Chair of the Department of MacrosociologyProfessor of Sociology and Chair of the Department of Macrosociology, Universitat Konstanz
Associate Professor of EnglishAssociate Professor of English, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Professor of PoliticsProfessor of Politics, La Trobe University, Australia
Emeritus Professor of EducationEmeritus Professor of Education, Harvard University
Trustee Professor at the Annenberg School of CommunicationTrustee Professor at the Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania
Emerita Emanuel Alecander Professor of MusicologyEmerita Emanuel Alecander Professor of Musicology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Foreword
Content
PART I; PART II; PART III