Langton, D. "Jewish Evolutionary Perspectives on Judaism, Anti-Semitism, and Race Science in Late 19th Century England: A Comparative Study of Lucien Wolf and Joseph Jacobs." Jewish Historical Studies 46 (2014) : 37-73. (original) (raw)

This article examines the contributions of Lucien Wolf and Joseph Jacobs as two prominent Anglo-Jewish scholars in the context of the late 19th century debates on race science and Judaism. It highlights how both figures utilized evolutionary perspectives to humanize Jewish identity and counter racial antisemitism, ultimately portraying Jewish differences as socially constructed rather than intrinsic. Through their scholarly endeavors, Wolf and Jacobs emerge as key players in the discourse surrounding assimilation and the cultural legitimacy of Judaism during a period marked by growing antisemitism.