A Simple, Unified Theory of Antisemitism - WSJ
wsj.com
A WSJ writer connects a childhood memory of cruel social exclusion to a bold unified theory of antisemitism — and the psychology behind why scapegoating never truly disappears.
Scapegoat TheoryIn-Group/Out-Group DynamicsMoral PanicSocial Identity Theory
Theory Briefing
- Post-Oct. 7 treatment of Jews mirrors the irrational shunning of a schoolboy named Charles, suggesting antisemitism follows a timeless social pattern.
- The article proposes a single unified theory linking scapegoating psychology to the recurring persecution of Jews across vastly different cultures and eras.
- Scapegoat theory predicts that out-groups absorb collective anxiety — and Jews, the author argues, have historically served as the world's default scapegoat.