[Religious roots of antisemitism]

Area of Science:

• Psychoanalysis
• Social Psychology
• Psychohistory

Background:

• Freudian psychoanalytic theory posits that unconscious guilt and narcissistic injury can manifest as externalized projections.
• Anti-Semitism, both historical and contemporary, presents a complex phenomenon rooted in psychological defense mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the unconscious psychological structures underlying ecclesiastic and contemporary racist anti-Semitism.
• To examine anti-Semitism as a form of paranoid projection stemming from internal conflict.
• To discuss related psychoanalytic perspectives on anti-Semitism.

Main Methods:

• Psychoanalytic theory application
• Comparative analysis of historical and contemporary anti-Semitism
• Literature review and theoretical discussion

Main Results:

• The unconscious structure of anti-Semitism is characterized as paranoid projections of guilt feelings and narcissistic injury.
• This psychoanalytic framework aligns with Freudian concepts of defense mechanisms.
• The study integrates Chasseguet-Smirgel's and Ostow's theories on the perverse and apocalyptic aspects of anti-Semitism.

Conclusions:

• Anti-Semitism can be understood as a psychological defense mechanism involving projection of internal states.
• Understanding these unconscious dynamics is crucial for addressing prejudice.
• Further research can explore the intersection of psychoanalysis and socio-political phenomena.