The blind spots of secularization: A qualitative approach to the study of antisemitism in Spain

Alejandro Baer, Paula López

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

According to several international surveys Spain is among the western countries with the most negative views of Jews. While quantitative data on the topic accumulates, there is a significant lack of interpretative approaches that might explain the particular Spanish case. This paper presents the background, methodology and major results of a discussion group-based study on antisemitism, which was conducted in Spain in the autumn of 2009. The study identifies and locates in different socio-economic and ideological milieus the range of stereotypical discourses on Jews, Judaism and the Arab-Israeli conflict in Spain. Analysis of the group meetings shows that, despite growing secularization in Spanish society, the central explanatory variable for persisting and resurging antisemitism in this country is still religion in a broad cultural sense.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)203-221
Number of pages19
JournalEuropean Societies
Volume14
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2012

Keywords

  • Jews
  • Muslims
  • Spain
  • antisemitism
  • qualitative methodology
  • secularization

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