The CentralEuropeanUniversity
Jewish Studies Project and
Nationalism Studies program
cordially invite you to a lecture by
Michał Bilewicz
University of Warsaw
The ideological model of scapegoating as an explanation of
antisemitic prejudice in Poland
Anti-Semitism in current Poland is a phenomenon with long historical background: it is a result of traditional religious blood-libel myths and deicide accusations (antijudaism), as well as pre-War nationalist political and economical antisemitism. These motives formed character of contemporary anti-Semitism in Poland.
The ideological model of scapegoating (Glick, 2002; 2005)predicts that minority groups perceived as powerful, cunning, and dangerous would be targets of discrimination and aggression in the times of crisis and frustration. Systemic transition in Poland resulted with high inflation, rapid economic changes and increased uncontrollability in everyday life. Thus Polish case offers possibility for examining the process of scapegoating: blaming Jews for the majorities’ misfortunes.
Present research shows the results from two nation-wide sample studies on anti-Semitism – in Poland and Ukraine in 2002 and the one in Poland in 2009. The results partially confirm the ideological model of scapegoating in Poland, however the data from Ukraine seem to contradict the model. It is plausible that currently other groups (e.g. nations of Caucasus, oligarchs, Americans) are more often blamed for post-Soviet countries’ problems. On the other hand, the data gathered in Poland suggests that the image of Jew as conspiring and threatening still serves as the naïve explanation of people’s losses, deprivation and uncontrollability in everyday life. The implications of these results are discussed within the perspective of traditional and modern theories of scapegoating, as well as political examples from Polish public discourse.
Tuesday, November 9 at 6 p.m.
Gellner Room, MonumentBuilding
Dr. Michał Bilewicz is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at University of Warsaw, Poland and Adjunct Assistant Professor at University of Delaware, USA. He coordinates the Center for Research on Prejudice at University of Warsaw and serves as vice-president of the Forum for Dialogue among Nations. In his research he deals with complex contemporary Polish-Jewish relations, as well as other issues related to social and politcal psychology. Since 2004 he organizes encounter programs for Polish students and Jewish visitors to Poland, and he evaluates the effectiveness of these programs.