Shedding Liberalism, All Over Again

Abstract

As the editor of this special issue of the journal explains: "Laura Levitt, in "Shedding Liberalism All Over Again," focuses more closely on the role of the Christian Secular in the "exclusionary inclusion" of different kinds of social bodies in liberalism in the U.S., focusing in particular on the example of the historical experience of Jews who emigrated to the United States. While on the one hand, America has served as a welcome respite for Jews, particularly Eastern European Jews like her ancestors, this has not come without a cost. Like today's Islamic cultures in the U.S., or yesterday's Catholics, the Christian Secular is ostensibly welcoming, but only to the extent outside groups fit into and conform to the frame of its Protestant structure and outlook. It is "okay" to be different, as long as you are a recognizable variation on its theme. For Jews, Levitt argues, this has been recognition of inclusion only to the extent that Jews are seen as "religious" and belong to a "church" (synagogue). "Secular," unbelieving, or merely "cultural" Jews are excluded from acceptable recognition in today's ostensibly "neutral" public sphere."