Jews and Moneylending in the Middle Ages: Myths Old and New with Rowan Dorin

Online event. Register here to receive the Zoom link.

Anxieties and accusations concerning Jewish “usury” play a prominent role in narratives of Jewish expulsions in high and late medieval Europe, while the resulting stereotypes continue to serve as fuel for contemporary antisemitism. This talk will explore some of the myths - both medieval and modern - about the early association between Jews and moneylending, along with their tragic consequences over the course of the Middle Ages and beyond.

Rowan Dorin is an Assistant Professor of History at Stanford University. His research and teaching focus primarily on the legal and economic history of western Europe and the Mediterranean during the Middle Ages (500–1500 CE). He is currently finishing up his first book, entitled Conflicts of Interest: Christian and Jewish Moneylending and the Rise of Mass Expulsion in Late Medieval Europe.

Presented by the Department of Jewish Studies as part of the Fall 2020 Lectures in Jewish Studies. Sponsored by the Jewish Community Library.

Free and open to the public.

The Department of Jewish Studies welcomes persons with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request. If you would like reasonable accommodations for this event, such as real-time captioning, please contact Rachel Gross at rbgross@sfsu.edu as soon as possible so your request may be reviewed.