Jews, group libel, and free speech in the United Kingdom and United States, 1912-1969

Thesis

For more than half the 20^th century, American and British Jews wrestled with a too-little- remembered proposal called group libel – the idea that defamation law should guard the reputation not just of individuals but of groups like themselves. Through group libel, American and British Jews debated and negotiated their relationship to the state and the law, as well as the bounds of their own identity. The first full-length study of the issue in either the British or American case, this thesis takes a comparative approach, showing how British Jews related ambivalently to legal tactics while American Jews embraced the law in their respective battles against antisemitism and fascism. It aims to show that law was an imperfect instrument even for those groups most enthusiastic about its uses. Nevertheless, legal measures’ siren song called established Jews reluctant about more extreme action. Group libel proved the best of unenviable options for Jewish organizations like the Board of Deputies of British Jews, American Jewish Committee, and American Jewish Congress, who searched for new ways to fight against antisemites without disturbing the bounds of the established social order. Still, it proved too radical for the British and American governments. The thesis explores the history of ideas hotly debated today, such as the danger of antisemitism, the limits of free speech, and the utility (or lack thereof) of legal solutions to intergroup hatred. It aims to show the contours of these debates in an earlier time and to unearth their roots in doing so.

Authors: Avi-Yonah, SS

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-zo6kvrqpq
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Subjects: Hate speech; Libel and slander; History; Antisemitism