Antisemitism is complex and not always easy to recognise. It is not confined to one country or region, a single culture, religion or political ideology, nor to one period of history.

Historian Robert Wistrich describes antisemitism as “history’s most lethal obsession”. (1) Hatred of Jews and negative beliefs about them have shaped the world we live in, underpinned by enduring antisemitic libels that are recycled in every generation. Understanding the historical origins of antisemitism and its recurring libels is therefore essential to recognise and effectively respond to it today.

This section brings together resources that explore what antisemitism is and how it has developed over time. It is organised into four sections: definitions of antisemitism; histories of antisemitism, globally and in the UK; the key libels through which antisemitism circulates; and the Holocaust, history’s most extreme example of where antisemitism can lead when left unchecked.

(1) Wistrich, R. (1994 [1991]) Antisemitism: History’s Most Lethal Obsession Schoken Books