Prophecies of Self-Determination and the Authority of the Word: The Era of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance

Prophecies of Self-Determination and the Authority of the Word: The Era of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance

by David Goldberg – [ Journal of Dialogue Studies Vol 7 ]

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Abstract

In 2019, accusations of antisemitism in British national politics coincided with calls in Israel/Palestine for a state with equal political rights. These issues coalesce in contesting the meaning ‘self-determination’ in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. I consider the term ‘self-determination’ by examining the relations between the mythic and the political, the inclusions and exclusions of people from the political community. The paper begins with an example of the interconnections between the mythic and the political. The paper examines the term ‘self-determination’ within the IHRA definition. The definition is understood in two contexts: the Stockholm Declaration, the founding document of the IHRA; and, Israel by its constitutional laws. The last part examines the IHRA definition as moral and civil law. I end by suggesting that the UK government define the term, ‘self- determination’ in the IHRA definition as this may enable accusations in British politics to turn to dialogue.