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The Bibliographic Project on Antisemitism, based at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, comprises databases listing material about antisemitism (including the Holocaust) published throughout the world, with a view to forming a comprehensive database containing everything ever published on the subject. The organization of the material is described, both for the printed and online versions of the bibliographies. Information is given on how to acquire the printed books produced to date and on how to access the material online. Scope of the Project The Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism (SICSA) was established by an international group of scholars in 1982 as an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to an independent, nonpolitical approach to the accumulation and dissemination of knowledge necessary for understanding the phenomenon of antisemitism. The Center engages in research on antisemitism through the ages, focusing on relations between Jews and non-Jews, particularly in situations of tension and crisis. The Felix Posen Bibliographic Project of the Center, established in 1984, produces printed bibliographies as well as an online database accessible through the Israel University Libraries Network. The Project consists of two databases-an ongoing annotated bibliography (from 1984 to the present), edited by Susan S. Cohen, and a retrospective bibliography, listing *Updated version of a poster session presented at the 30th Annual Convention of the Association of Jewish Libraries, Chicago, June 1995. At that convention, Susan S. Cohen received the AJL Bibliography Award for vol. 3 of Antisemitism: An Annotated Bibliography, published in 1994. Jerusalem, Israel material published prior to 1984 (containing, at present, works from 1968 to 1983), edited by Sylviane Stampfer. These databases, together, now contain over 24,000 items. The long-term goal is to compile a comprehensive listing of all works written about antisemitism throughout history. For the purpose of this project, antisemitism is defined as antagonism toward Jews and Judaism as expressed in writings (e.g., the New Testament, polemical literature, works of fiction), in the visual arts (e.g., art, caricatures, films), and in actions (e.g., massacres and pogroms, discriminatory legislation, the Holocaust). The word "antisemitism" is not hyphenated as a point of policy, because the hyphen assumes the existence of a "Semitic" race, a concept which has no substance.1 The bibliographies include works published throughout the world about antisemitismbooks, doctoral dissertations, masters' theses, and articles from periodicals and collections. They do not include newspaper articles, reviews, works of fiction, or audiovisual materials. They also do not cover antisemitic publications. The works listed come from a diverse range of disciplines-history, psychology, sociology, anthropology, literature, and art. The listings are compiled mainly from the holdings of the Jewish National and University Library (JNUL) in Jerusalem, and are supplemented by other bibliographic sources (e.g., Historical Abstracts, Dissertation Abstracts lntemationa~. The bibliography on antisemitism was conceived as a combination of Kiryat Sefer (JNUL's bibliographical quarterly) and Rambi (Index of Articles on Jewish Studies)-i.e., books and articles listed together-but filling lacunae found in both these listings. The bibliography on antisemitism provides 1 See Shmuel Almog, "What's in a Hyphen? "SICSA Report (Summer 1989). 58 Judaica Librarianship Vol. 1 O No. 1-2 Spring 1999-Winter 2000 abstracts in English, allowing access to a wider audience around the world. The abstracts focus on the subject of antisemitism and give detailed information on antisemitic events throughout the centuries-relating what happened, where, when, why, etc. In abstracting theoretical works, we present the authors' views on the reasons for antisemitism. We also abstract parts of books and articles (e.g., a chapter or a section on antisemitism), which would not be mentioned in Kiryat Sefer or Rambi. Rambi does not contain abstracts, which is understandable given the massive number of articles listed each year (ca. 8,000); in abstracting articles we feel that we are providing even more of a service to users/readers than in abstracting books, the latter being more readily known and available. The material is divided into chapter headings, which serve as an authority file online and as a table of contents for the printed volumes (see Figure 1 ). There are three major divisions: Bibliographies and Reference Works Antisemitism throughout the Ages Antisemitism in Literature and in the Arts An example of an entry from each division is given in Figure 2. The section "Antisemitism throughout the Ages" comprises the main body of material and is arranged chronologically, from the ancient period to the present. The modern period (1789-present) is further subdivided chronologically and geographically. The bibliography includes all works dealing with the Holocaust period (1933-1945)-i.e., on antisemitic ideology, policy, and attitudes, as well as on the Jewish experience (memoirs, memorial books, etc.)-as part of the history of antisemitism. This is the only comprehensive Association of Jewish Libraries, 30th Annual Convention, Chicago |
