False Prophets: Studies on Authoritarianism

Leo Lowenthal

Transaction Publishers, Dec 30, 2015 - Antisemitism - 328 pages

A collection of studies published previously, on the psychology of group prejudice and the reasons for the success of antisemitic agitation. Pt. 1 (p. 3-171), "Prophets of Deceit: A Study of the Techniques of the American Agitator", written with Norbert Guterman, was first published in 1949 as Vol. 4 of the project "Studies in Prejudice". It deals with stereotypes used by American extremists who sympathized with fascism, Nazism, and antisemitism (e.g. Father Coughlin). Pt. 2 (p. 175-185), "Terror's Dehumanizing Effects: Atomization of Man" (appeared in "Commentary" in 1946), analyzes the first reports by concentration camp victims. Pt. 3 (p. 189-307), "Images of Prejudice: Anti-Semitism among U.S. Workers during World War II", describes stereotypes of the Jew as a parasite, as over-intellectual and ambitious, as a social outsider, as clannish, and hedonistic. Generalizations based on these views encouraged approval of the extermination of the Jews.

About the author

Leo Lowenthal (1900-1993) was a sociologist known for his association with the Frankfurt School. After migrating to the United States, he held various positions, including research director for Voice of America, the Stanford Center for the Advanced Study of the Behavior Sciences, and finally settled in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, USA.

Bibliographic information

• Title: False Prophets: Studies on Authoritarianism; Volume 3 of Communication in Society, Leo Lowenthal
• Author: Leo Lowenthal
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: Transaction Publishers, 2015
• ISBN: 1412857015, 9781412857017
• Length: 328 pages