Explore how antisemitism has spread through changing forms of media, from medieval rumors and the printing press to Nazi propaganda and today’s social media. Learn how communication technologies can amplify prejudice and conspiracy theories—and how understanding these patterns can help us recognize and challenge hate today.
Essential Questions
- How has antisemitism adapted to and spread through the dominant media technologies of different historical periods?
- How did Nazi propaganda use mass media to normalize antisemitism for ordinary Germans, and what made it so effective?
- What does the history of antisemitic propaganda teach us about how we consume, evaluate, and respond to media today?
Big Ideas
- Media as Amplifier: From the printing press to social media, communication technologies have repeatedly amplified antisemitic conspiracy theories, making hate travel farther, faster, and with greater emotional force than ever before.
- Normalization and Passivity: Nazi propaganda and repetition made antisemitism feel familiar, credible, and silence feel safer than speaking out.
- Patterns Across Platforms: Antisemitism has adapted to every new media environment, and recognizing those patterns is essential to understanding and resisting hate today.