New Directions in French Jewish History

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

This roundtable discussion centers on the field of French Jewish history, both in terms of its past methodological roots and new directions for future research. This kind of retrospective and forward looking conversation is long overdue, as few recent conferences, edited collections or journal articles have taken stock of larger historiographical directions in this growing field. The leaders of the discipline published the vast majority of the historiographical reflections in 1980s and the 1990s. While there have been recent workshops on particular aspects of French Jewish history—such as the postwar or imperialism—there have been few occasions for French Jewish historians to gather to assess the development of the discipline as a whole.

This roundtable seeks to remedy this situation by both assembling senior and junior scholars in a roundtable discussion, and initiating a wider conversation about the long durée of French Jewish historiography and the methodological trends and scholarly perspectives that have recently shaped the field. It will be structured around a series of questions: What were the principal questions and methodologies that drove an earlier generation of French Jewish historians? What developments in French Studies or other disciplines do you see currently shaping French Jewish history? How do you see French Jewish historiography developing in future years? The panelists have been chosen because their expertise collectively spans French Jewish literature and history, the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, France and its colonies. Joshua Schreier, a historian of Algerian Jews, will speak to the trend both amongst historians of France and France’s Jews to look beyond the hexagon. Ethan Katz will draw upon his work on Jews and Muslims in France to discuss the place of French Jewish history within French minority history. Lisa Moses Leff, a nineteenth century historian and more recently postwar France, will contribute to the discussion the recent scholarly interest in the postwar. And, finally, Maurice Samuels a scholar of the nineteenth century, will add the perspective of literary studies while Daniella Doron, a specialist on postwar Jews, will act as moderator.

Sub Unit

• Modern Jewish History in Europe, Asia, Israel, and Other Communities

Moderator

• Julie Kalman, Monash University

Discussants

• Maurice Samuels, Yale University

• Lisa Moses Leff, American University

• Ethan Katz, University of Cincinnati

• Joshua Samuel Schreier, Vassar College