Anti-Hellenism
There has long been a void in Greek Academia, which prevents young Greeks and philhellenes from fully grasping the Hellenic experience. That is the lack of historical research and the study of anti-Hellenism. For far too long, Greek schools in Greece and throughout the Diaspora, as well as Hellenic Studies programs, have neglected to teach such incidents as the Ottoman Greek Genocide and other examples of anti-Hellenic discrimination. An omission, which is a disservice to the victims of these events, and the students themselves.
This oversight prevents future generations from gaining a complete picture of Hellenic history and normalizes anti-Hellenic prejudice. The study of anti-Hellenism would expose students to a range of troubling but unavoidable questions directly connected to contemporary geopolitical issues in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as the Greek-Diaspora experience as a whole. Therefore, it is one of our priorities to study and document historical and modern examples of anti-Hellenism while also attempting to introduce the subject into current Hellenic Studies programs and Greek schools.
[Source: Heritage Toronto plaque at 433 Yonge Street taken by the Hellenic Heritage Foundation]
What is Antihellenism?
Anti-Hellenism (or Hellenophobia) is the prejudice against, the hatred of, or the discrimination of Greeks as an ethnic, religious, or racial group. A person who holds such intolerant views may be referred to as a Hellenophobe. In many ways, anti-Hellenism was one of the driving forces behind the Ottoman Greek Genocide of 1914-1923.
It may be manifested in many ways, ranging from expressions of hatred or intolerance towards individual ethnic Greeks to organized pogroms by mobs, state police, or even military attacks on entire Greek communities. Although the phenomenon is often ignored in academic circles, it can and should be applied to all historical anti-Greek incidents.
Notable instances of anti-Hellenism include the Genocide of Ethnikoi Hellenes, the Ottoman Greek Genocide, and the various anti-Greek persecutions in early 20th century Canada, Australia, and the United States.
, Greek men being deported from Smyrna to the interior of Turkey in 1922, photo the Greek Genocide Resource Center[Source: taken by C. D. Morris]
FORMS OF ANTI-HELLENISM
