Sina Arnold

Der ehemalige Bundestagspräsident Wolfgang Thierse hat kürzlich in seinem vieldiskutierten Angriff gegen identitäre Strömungen von rechts und links kritisiert, linke Identitäre würden mit ihrer biografischen Betroffenheit andere aus dem Diskurs ausschließen. Dagegen setzt er „Vernunftgründe, die entscheiden sollen und nicht Herkunft“. Doch als Gegenmittel gegen den Ausschluss empfiehlt Thierse ausgerechnet den Klassiker des Herkunftsarguments, den – wenn man so will – alten, weißen Mann des identitären Ausschlusses: die Nation. Man dürfe diese nicht den Rechten überlassen, denn insbesondere in der Pandemie sei das „Bedürfnis nach sozialer und kultureller Beheimatung groß. Eine Antwort auf dieses Bedürfnis ist die Nation“.

The resurgence of antisemitism – from the deadly Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, the alt-right’s chant of “Jews will not replace us,” up to recent controversies within the Women’s March and UK Labour Party – caught many observers off guard. Although antisemitism is on the rise in the U.S. and globally, it has – until recently – remained conspicuously absent from progressive/left discourse and political activism. This article seeks to fill that void by shining a light on this “invisible” form of racism, articulating the need for analysis and action rooted in an emancipatory perspective.
The text chronicles the left’s long and complicated relationship with antisemitism, highlighting historical changes in how progressive movements have and have not discussed it. We clarify how antisemitism is different from other forms of racism, outlining its core tropes and general worldview. By focusing on how antisemitism can manifest in left critiques of capitalism, modernity, or global politics, we illustrate how it both overlaps with and diverges from the antisemitism of the right. We use empirical examples to catalogue common rhetorical strategies used to deny or downplay the existence of antisemitism within left movements, or derail conversations about it from taking place. As antisemitism continues to shape the contemporary political landscape, we argue that emancipatory movements must become familiar with its specific contours and actively address it in their political work.

Undoing Nation? Postnational Approaches and Practices in History and Present
While currently a re-nationalization can be observed throughout Europe and the world, there are also various debates and actors that reflect upon possible postnational forms of sociality. The article traces the historical development of the nation-state, showing its violent and artificial legacy. Subsequently, it analyzes both conscious and unconscious attempts at ‘undoing nation’ in the course of current migration politics, such as the ‘March of Hope’, hybridized identities, and the Sanctuary Cities movement. Finally, it discusses criticism of some contemporary postnational approaches.