Richard Landes | Independent Scholar (original) (raw)

Books by Richard Landes

A study of a) the apocalyptic origins of Islam, it's shift from a passive-cataclysmic eschatology... more A study of a) the apocalyptic origins of Islam, it's shift from a passive-cataclysmic eschatology (Last Judgment) to active--cataclysmic millennial (world conquering religious imperialism). b) the impact of modernity on these apocalyptic and millennial elements of Islam, and c) the wave of apocalyptic movements in Islam in its 15th century, from 1400 (1979) - 1500 (2076), right now in Caliphater mode (modernization/gloibalization is a the messiah's donkey, the praeparatio Califatae, the vehicle for the global Caliphate.

study of Nazism as an active cataclysmic apocalyptic movement aiming to establish a hierarchical ... more study of Nazism as an active cataclysmic apocalyptic movement aiming to establish a hierarchical millennial kingdom of racial dominance for Aryans. Explains the anti-semitism as a paranoid, zero-sum supersessionism in which Nazism replaces Israel as the global "savior."

High quality scans of the charts at the End of "Lest the Millennium be Fulfilled"f

French Revolution as an Apocalyptic episode. Analysis of the passage from egalitarianism to terro... more French Revolution as an Apocalyptic episode. Analysis of the passage from egalitarianism to terrorism; terror as response to failure of expectations and a turn to coercive purity to restore apocalyptic time.

Basic principles behind prime divider societies (big gap btw small elite and large population of ... more Basic principles behind prime divider societies (big gap btw small elite and large population of commoners. Demotic principles opposed to prime divider society, and in millennial forms involve dismantling the inegalitarian structures. Enlightenment as a secular form of demotic religiosity.

study of millennial themes in UFO cults (Raelians), narratives (conspiracy theories, War of the W... more study of millennial themes in UFO cults (Raelians), narratives (conspiracy theories, War of the World panic), movies (Day the Earth Stood Still, Body Snatchers, Close Encounters, ET, 2001).

Taiping movement that almost toppled the Qing dynasty, led by man who, in the deepest shame at ha... more Taiping movement that almost toppled the Qing dynasty, led by man who, in the deepest shame at having failed the Imperial examinations four times), had visions related to his reading of a Chinese translation of the Bible. Started a movement that eventually mobilized millions and in its 14 years of activity, led to the deaths of 20-35 million! Chinese.

Jewish Political Studies Review, Vol. 19, Nos. 3-4 (2007), 9-34, 2007

Heaven on Earth, 2011

Akhenaten's "monotheistic" heresy as a millennial movement of the imperial kind (top-down redempt... more Akhenaten's "monotheistic" heresy as a millennial movement of the imperial kind (top-down redemption). The earliest millennial movement on record, even though his successors tried to wipe it off the "books" as it were.

Study of Cargo Cults as expression of apocalyptic millennial movement triggered by tribal contact... more Study of Cargo Cults as expression of apocalyptic millennial movement triggered by tribal contact with modern (millennial) culture. Exploration of the problems of contemporary anthropology in dealing with so bizarre a phenomenon.

study of Xhosa Cattle-Slaying of 1856-57 in South Africa.

Historiographical problems in studying millennial movements.

Introductory chapter to my book.

Chapter 2 of my book (Heaven on Earth 2011). Discussion of the mentality of apocalyptic adepts, t... more Chapter 2 of my book (Heaven on Earth 2011). Discussion of the mentality of apocalyptic adepts, the Roosters (people who believe the great upheaval/transformation is imminent - dawn is breaking), and their opponents, the Owls (still middle of night, go back to sleep).

Introduction to my book (2011). Discussion of the basic themes of apocalyptic millennial movement... more Introduction to my book (2011). Discussion of the basic themes of apocalyptic millennial movements. Definitions, conceptual problems,

Paranoid Apocalypse: A Hundred Year Retrospective on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion , 2011

The Paranoid Apocalypse: A Hundred Year Retrospective on The Protocols of the Elders of Zion

High quality scans of the charts at the End of "Lest the Millennium be Fulfilled"f

Jewish Political Studies Review, Vol. 19, Nos. 3-4 (2007), 9-34, 2007

Heaven on Earth, 2011

study of Xhosa Cattle-Slaying of 1856-57 in South Africa.

Historiographical problems in studying millennial movements.

Introductory chapter to my book.

Paranoid Apocalypse: A Hundred Year Retrospective on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion , 2011

The Paranoid Apocalypse: A Hundred Year Retrospective on The Protocols of the Elders of Zion

Routledge eBooks, Feb 10, 2023

Moyen age: Revue d'histoire et de philologie, 1993

INTRODUCTION1In response to the Israeli attack on Gaza, Operation Cast Lead (December 27-January ... more INTRODUCTION1In response to the Israeli attack on Gaza, Operation Cast Lead (December 27-January 18, 2009), several major NGOs and public figures called for an investigation. On April 3, 2009, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) appointed a "Fact-Finding Mission." The mission was made up of four members, including Hina Jilani, Desmond Travers, Christine Chinkin, and at its head, Richard Goldstone, former member of the South African Supreme Court and distinguished international jurist. On the basis of the animus of the founding organization (UNHRC) and the pervasive bias of the members of the team, Israel refused to cooperate with what some observers called "a kangaroo court."2 In May 2009, the mission met in Geneva. It later made two visits to Gaza (from June 1-5, 2009 and June 26-July 1, 2009), held further hearings in Geneva (in early July 2009), and eventually presented its findings to the UNHRC (first draft, 575 pages, September 15, 2009; final draft, 430 pag...

The End(s) of Time(s), 2021

Encyclopedia of Jewish-Christian Relations Online

Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, 2020

The Apocalyptic Year 1000, 2003

Center and Periphery, 2013

Thomas Bisson distinguished between a "sanctified" and an "institutional" for... more Thomas Bisson distinguished between a "sanctified" and an "institutional" form of the Peace of God assemblies that occurred in Western Europe. This essay interprets the notion of tsqueezing the documentst as an exercise in historical imagination that, rather than draining the last drop of thardt data from documents one considers roughly ttransparentt on reality, tries instead to recreate the larger world of deeds and conversations that produced them. It interprets certain documents as indicating a possible, more radical narrative reconstruction of one of the more unusual and important elements in the peace movement's dynamics. The chapter reviews the anomalies characteristic of the tsanctified peace,t social developments that, under tnormalt circumstances, the potentiores of the day-clerical and lay-would never have countenanced, much less encouraged. It examines the characteristics of the "sanctified" peace assemblies, and considers how they violate virtually every sociopolitical and religious norm. Keywords:Church; god; religious; sanctified peace; Western Europe

ABSTRACT Proefschrift Princeton University, 1984. Met lit.opg.: bl. 322-353.

ISBN 9781644696408 (hardback) ISBN 9781644699942 (paperback) ISBN 9781644696415 (adobe pdf) ISBN ... more ISBN 9781644696408 (hardback) ISBN 9781644699942 (paperback) ISBN 9781644696415 (adobe pdf) ISBN 9781644696422 (epub) Book design by Lapiz Digital Services. Cover design by Ivan Grave.

Academic Studies Press eBooks, Mar 31, 2020

Oxford University Press eBooks, Jun 5, 2003

Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 1995

... Aquitaine in 1o33 that bishops, abbots, and other men devoted to holy religion first began ..... more ... Aquitaine in 1o33 that bishops, abbots, and other men devoted to holy religion first began ... 8 Thomas Head and Richard Landes Peace movement had been first and foremost concerned with ... They had not punished violence perpetrated against armed men, and thus they had in ...

Terrorism and Political Violence, , 2002

An analysis of the impact of apocalyptic expectations on Christian attitudes towards the Jews, fr... more An analysis of the impact of apocalyptic expectations on Christian attitudes towards the Jews, from philo-Judaic in anticipation to anti-Judaic in disappointment. The article considers in particular the dynamics around 1000 and 2000 CE, and suggests that after over a half-century of philo-Judaism in the West since the Holocaust, we may be in for anotther wave of anti-Judaism.

a study of those Muslims who believe that in this generation they will create a global Caliphate ... more a study of those Muslims who believe that in this generation they will create a global Caliphate not only in former Dar al Islam, but in current Dar al Harb. This includes both those who conduct Jihad (kinetic war) and Da'wa (cognitive war). Analyzing these beliefs as apocalyptic (now) and millennial (world transforming/salvific) one can gain important insights into the dynamics of the Caliphater movement.

a critique of an article by Ron Dudai (‘Entryism, mimicry and victimhood work: the adoption of hu... more a critique of an article by Ron Dudai (‘Entryism, mimicry and victimhood work: the adoption of human rights discourse by right-wing groups in
Israel’, in an earlier issue of this journal. Dudai accuses "right-wing" groups like NGO-Monitor of abusing human rights discourse to pursue an agenda fundamentally hostile to human rights. We argue that one can apply his logic with far greater accuracy to the "left-wing" human rights NGOs, who systematically fall dupe to precisely this kind of human rights abuse by Palestinian groups.

A study of the difference between German (and European) reactions to the crimes of the Holocaust ... more A study of the difference between German (and European) reactions to the crimes of the Holocaust based on shame (dominant) or guilt (alas, too rare), and their relationship to secular progressive supersessionism and anti-Zionism in the 21st Century.

The Economic History Review, 1991

McCloskey, that open-field agriculture was brought about by rational risk-averse farmers, to insu... more McCloskey, that open-field agriculture was brought about by rational risk-averse farmers, to insure themselves against insufficient harvests. Scattering of fields meant that producers would be less likely to face starvation provided not all of the arable was subject to natural ...

Médiévales, 1999

Debate just before the year 2000 about apocalyptic expectations around 1000. Landes, Pat Geary, A... more Debate just before the year 2000 about apocalyptic expectations around 1000. Landes, Pat Geary, Amy Remensnyder and Timothy Reuter.

Published in Clio's Psyche (2011) Special Issue: Symposium on the Psychology of American Exceptio... more Published in Clio's Psyche (2011) Special Issue: Symposium on the Psychology of American Exceptionalism.
My response to some arguments against American Exceptionalism.

a study of the way Edward Said shamed the West into not paying to the cultural dynamics of honor-... more a study of the way Edward Said shamed the West into not paying to the cultural dynamics of honor-shame in the Arab world. He did this because he was himself an "Orientalist" cliche driven by his sense of shame at Arab losses to Israel. In so doing, he blinded Western experts to critical factors in the Middle East. This led to a) completely misreading the Oslo war process, and b) the emergence of global Jihad.

Angst, Feb 2015

A study of how intellectuals mishandle evidence of apocalyptic expectations, both in the case of ... more A study of how intellectuals mishandle evidence of apocalyptic expectations, both in the case of Christians in 1000, and in the case of Muslims in 2000.

Discussion of the phenomenon of Bruckner's Tyranny of Guilt in framework of "progressive" Jewish ... more Discussion of the phenomenon of Bruckner's Tyranny of Guilt in framework of "progressive" Jewish self-laceration, and its implications for the struggle between progressive polities and global Jihad.

entry in the Vocabulary for the Study of Religion, ed. Robert Segal and Kocku von Stuckrad, Leide... more entry in the Vocabulary for the Study of Religion, ed. Robert Segal and Kocku von Stuckrad, Leiden: Brill, 2015, pp. 430-440.
Definitions, analysis of examples from the "Moses Movement" to Global Jihad.

Handbook of the Middle Ages, ed. Albert Classen (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2015), vol. 2, 1093-1... more Handbook of the Middle Ages, ed. Albert Classen (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2015), vol. 2, 1093-1112.

Encyclopedia article discussing role of apocalyptic and millennial beliefs in the Ancient world and the Middle Ages

In 1009, the messianic Fatimid ruler Al Hakim destroyed the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. This led... more In 1009, the messianic Fatimid ruler Al Hakim destroyed the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. This led to the earliest wave of anti-Jewish violence in Europe, and the first reports of Jews slitting their throats rather than converting. An analysis of all the sources, Latin and Hebrew, and discussion of the apocalyptic dynamics involved.

The Bible constitutes one of the most radical political documents from the ancient world. By acce... more The Bible constitutes one of the most radical political documents from the ancient world. By accepting it as a sacred text in the conversion to Christianity, the Roman Empire prepared its own demise (sweet in the mouth, bitter in the stomach). Medieval Europe learned the lesson and energetically opposed translations.

This series produces edited volumes that explore Augustine's relationship to a particular discipl... more This series produces edited volumes that explore Augustine's relationship to a particular discipline or field of study. This "relationship" is considered in several different ways: some contributors consider Augustine's practice of the particular discipline in question; some consider his subsequent influence on the t1eld of study; and others consider how Augustine himself has become an object of study by their discipline. Such variety adds breadth and new perspectives~innovation~to our ongoing conversation with Augustine on topics of lasting import to him and us, while using Augustine as our conversation partner lends focus and a common thread~tradition~to our disparate fields and interests.

Journal for the Study of Antisemitism, 2013

Terrorism and Political Violence, 25:621-634, 2013

Lenin allegedly referred to the thinkers and activists ready to cover up for his crimes against h... more Lenin allegedly referred to the thinkers and activists ready to cover up for his crimes against his own people as "useful idiots." Today, some intellectuals sacrifice their integrity as intellectuals not for a professedly progressive egalitarian movement, but in order to protect radical Islam, one of the most regressive and authoritarian movements imaginable. This article refers to such people as "usefitl infidels," showing how their excessive self-criticism is exploited by Islamists to incriminate the West in the evils of modernity. The result is a perversion of human rights discourse and a marriage of pre-modern sadism and post-modem masochism.

Donna Divine and Philip Salzman, eds., Postcolonial Theory and the Arab-Israeli Conflict (London: Routledge, 2007) [Special issue of Israel Affairs,13:4 (2007), 844-58., 2007

A discussion of the passage in Deuteronomy against returning runaway slaves to their masters, in ... more A discussion of the passage in Deuteronomy against returning runaway slaves to their masters, in honor of the Yahrzeit of my father, David S. Landes' death. I argue that the demotic strain of Christianity, powerfully launched in the Peace of God Movement (turn of 1000), contributed to the commune movement in the later 11th and 12th centuries through the link between "Stadtluft macht frei" and this passage in Deuteronomy. This in turn sheds light on the wider emergence, specifically in the West, of a modern productive economy.

a study of two current apocalyptic millennial groups of radically different types - progressive d... more a study of two current apocalyptic millennial groups of radically different types - progressive demotic transformational, and jihadi cataclysmic imperial - which interact these days in ways decidedly to the disadvantage of the former.
NB: this article was refused publication for being an extended polemic. and yet i read often of the messianic tendencies of the progressive left without anywhere near the degree of scholarship i put into this paper.

A study of the dynamics of honor-shame cultures and the impact they have had on both the Arab-Isr... more A study of the dynamics of honor-shame cultures and the impact they have had on both the Arab-Israeli conflict and our incapacity to effectively respond to that tragedy.

English Historical Review, 2019

Review of Imagining Religious Leadership in the Middle Ages: Richard of Saint-Vanne and the Polit... more Review of Imagining Religious Leadership in the Middle Ages: Richard of Saint-Vanne and the Politics of Reform, by Steven Vanderputten (Ithaca, NY: Cornell U.P., 2015; pp. 244. $49.95).

An analysis of a collection of essays on the historical phenomenon of Jews who feel compelled to ... more An analysis of a collection of essays on the historical phenomenon of Jews who feel compelled to denounce their fellow Jews in public as proof of their superior morality. 21st century avatar: Anti-Zionism.

Paper delivered to the Council of European Studies annual Conference, this year in Philadelphia, ... more Paper delivered to the Council of European Studies annual Conference, this year in Philadelphia, on Thursday, April 14. It claims to excerpt extensively from a historian, writing in the 2050s, analyzing the first fifteen years of the 21st century as a way to understand Europe's mid-century civil wars.