Jews and crime in Medieval Europe / Ephraim Shoham-Steiner

Date :

Type : Livre / Book

Langue / Language : anglais / English

ISBN : 978-0-8143-4559-7

ISBN : 978-0-8143-4823-9

EAN : 9780814348239

Criminels juifs -- Conditions sociales -- Histoire

Criminels juifs -- Statut juridique -- Histoire

Classification Dewey : 940/.049240902

Classification Dewey : 305

Résumé / Abstract : "Jews and crime in Medieval Europe" is a topic laced by prejudice on one hand and apologetics on the other. Beginning in the Middle Ages, Jews were often portrayed as criminals driven by greed. While these accusations were, for the most part, unfounded, in other cases criminal accusations against Jews were not altogether baseless. Drawing on a variety of legal, liturgical, literary, and archival sources, Ephraim Shoham-Steiner examines the reasons for the involvement in crime, the social profile of Jews who performed crimes, and the ways and mechanisms employed by the legal and communal body to deal with Jewish criminals and with crimes committed by Jews. A society's attitude toward individuals identified as criminals - by others or themselves - can serve as a window into that society's mores and provide insight into how transgressors understood themselves and society's attitudes toward them.