L'accusa del sangue : storia politica di un mito antisemita
Reconstructs the history of blood libels throughout the centuries, from the accusation of ritual murder in antiquity to the murder of Polish Jewish Holocaust survivors in 1946. Blood libels are myths that evolve in particular historical contexts; an analysis of their political, religious, and economic aspects is essential for a further understanding of their diffusion. These factors were central to the use of the blood libel by some dominant secular and ecclesiastic groups for propagandistic goals. Criticizes use of "psychohistory" to explain the psychological aspects of blood libels; such interpretations absolve persons and institutions from historical, ethical, and political responsibility. (From the Bibliography of the Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism)