Difference of a Different Kind

Jewish Constructions of Race During the Long Eighteenth Century

By Iris Idelson-Shein | Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc.

About the book

European Jews, argues Iris Idelson-Shein, occupied a particular place in the development of modern racial discourse during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Simultaneously inhabitants and outsiders in Europe, considered both foreign and familiar, Jews adopted a complex perspective on otherness and race. Often themselves the objects of anthropological scrutiny, they internalized, adapted, and revised the emerging discourse of racial difference to meet their own ends.

Difference of a Different Kind explores Jewish perceptions and representations of otherness during the formative period in the history of racial thought. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including philosophical and scientific works, halakhic literature, and folktales, Idelson-Shein unfolds the myriad ways in which eighteenth-century Jews imagined the \"exotic Other\" and how the evolving discourse of racial difference played into the construction of their own identities. Difference of a Different Kind offers an invaluable view into the ways new religious, cultural, and racial identities were imagined and formed at the outset of modernity.

Editions of Difference of a Different Kind

Hardcover
ISBN 9780812246094
EBook
ISBN 9780812209709

Read an Excerpt

European Jews, argues Iris Idelson-Shein, occupied a particular place in the development of modern racial discourse during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Simultaneously inhabitants and outsiders in Europe, considered both foreign and familiar, Jews adopted a complex perspective on otherness and race. Often themselves the objects of anthropological scrutiny, they internalized, adapted, and revised the emerging discourse of racial difference to meet their own ends.

Difference of a Different Kind explores Jewish perceptions and representations of otherness during the formative period in the history of racial thought. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including philosophical and scientific works, halakhic literature, and folktales, Idelson-Shein unfolds the myriad ways in which eighteenth-century Jews imagined the \"exotic Other\" and how the evolving discourse of racial difference played into the construction of their own identities. Difference of a Different Kind offers an invaluable view into the ways new religious, cultural, and racial identities were imagined and formed at the outset of modernity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Difference of a Different Kind about?

European Jews, argues Iris Idelson-Shein, occupied a particular place in the development of modern racial discourse during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Simultaneously inhabitants and outsiders in Europe, considered both foreign and familiar, Jews adopted a complex perspective on otherness and race. Often themselves the objects of anthropological scrutiny, they internalized, adapted, and revised the emerging discourse of racial difference to meet their own ends.

Difference of a Different Kind explores Jewish perceptions and representations of otherness during the formative period in the history of racial thought. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including philosophical and scientific works, halakhic literature, and folktales, Idelson-Shein unfolds the myriad ways in which eighteenth-century Jews imagined the \"exotic Other\" and how the evolving discourse of racial difference played into the construction of their own identities. Difference of a Different Kind offers an invaluable view into the ways new religious, cultural, and racial identities were imagined and formed at the outset of modernity.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Difference of a Different Kind?

Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Social groups: religious groups and communities

Where can I read a sample of Difference of a Different Kind?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780812246094

How long is Difference of a Different Kind and how many pages does it have?

Difference of a Different Kind has 280 page(s)

Is Difference of a Different Kind part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?

Yes it is a part of series Jewish Culture and Contexts

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Difference of a Different Kind?

Iris Idelson-Shein

Who is the Publisher of the book Difference of a Different Kind?

University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc.

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Difference of a Different Kind is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780812246094) and ebook(ISBN 9780812209709)

Where can I buy Difference of a Different Kind online or support local independent bookshops?

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Where can I buy Difference of a Different Kind?