Alex Esche (Max Planck, Berlin), will give a paper titled: \u2018Protesting \u201cin a Proper Spirit\u201d: The Moralities and Subjectivities of Late Victorian Anti-Alien Agitation\u2019. Please bring your own lunch. All welcome.<\/p>\n
Abstract:<\/p>\n
The emergence and impact of the anti-alien movement \u2013 a diverse and loosely connected group of individual actors and organisations advocating for restricting the immigration of Eastern European Jewish refugees into London\u2019s East End \u2013 have typically been understood and analysed in one of two contexts: Either as an almost automatic and natural reaction to the socio-economic circumstances in which the movement emerged, or as an expression of a specific \u201ccivil\u201d or \u201csilent\u201d British antisemitism. Both approaches pay only marginal attention to the subjective contributions and performances of individual actors which, I contend, were of vital importance for the movement\u2019s longevity and successes, facilitating the introduction of four anti-alien bills, two Select Committees and a Royal Commission before the passing of the Aliens Act in 1905.<\/p>\n
In the course of my paper, I will present the anti-alien movement as a predominately but not exclusively white, male, and Gentile middle-class movement, whose actors appropriated and narrativized both \u201cmaterial reality\u201d and contemporary moral value judgements regarding contested issues like antisemitism and working-class pauperism. The way this anti-alien narrative was subjectively performed by individual actors at the movement\u2019s public protest meetings comes under particular scrutiny. Protesting \u201cin a proper spirit\u201d was vital to remain acceptable to the movement\u2019s upper- and middle-class audience, both Jewish and Gentile, whereas the desire for popular support from working-class East Enders suggested a different emotional and spatial framing. Striking the right balance between the two was a challenge posed before each actor, whose subjective performance at a given rally could make or break the anti-alien movement.<\/p>\n
The talk will take place in room 3.16, Arts Two,\u00a0Mile End Campus, London E1 4NS. For directions to Mile End and a campus map, see\u00a0bit.ly\/QMcampusmap<\/a>.<\/p>\n