HIST339Y From Blood Libel to QAnon: 900 Years of Anti-Jewish 'Conspiracy Theories'

With the rise of QAnon and other extreme ideologies, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories have been gaining traction and popularity in the twenty-first century U.S., and around the world. These ideologies take many of their tropes from nineteenth-century European anti-Semitism, and we can find examples of what we may recognize as conspiracy theories dating well into antiquity. In this course, we will investigate the motivations and appeal of conspiracy theories to those who believe them and explore the unique link between anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories. We'll trace the historical antecedents of contemporary anti-Jewish conspiracy theories from their medieval origins, through the rise of racial anti-Semitism and its role in Nazi ideology, into the 21st century.

Online Asynchronous

Material covered in this course includes:

• Anti-Semitism
• Jewish Identity 
• Medieval Europe
• Early Modern Europe
• United States
• The Development Conspiracy Theories