JSTU:2149 Introduction to Jewish Studies 3 s.h.

Introduction to the interdisciplinary field of Jewish studies; topics include history from ancient origins to the present, sociology of Jewish life in the U.S. and internationally, ethical and religious principles and practices, Jewish embeddedness in non-Jewish societies, and controversies within and surrounding the Jewish world. GE: Understanding Cultural Perspectives. Same as HIST:2149, RELS:2240, SJUS:2240.

JSTU:2155 Global Jewish History 3 s.h.

Examines the Jewish experience in the modern period. Jewish history is global (the focus will be on Jews in the Middle East, Europe, the United States, and Latin America). Each community has participated in local politics and in the creation of local cultures, while remaining part of a Jewish Diaspora, held together to varying degrees by ethnic identity and religious tradition. Students will study how Jewish identity is constructed and how Jews negotiate their relationships with each other, with non-Jews in their local societies, and with other Jewish communities. GE: Understanding Cultural Perspectives. Same as HIST:2155.

JSTU:2156 Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel 3 s.h.

Examines relations between Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities in Palestine during the Ottoman and Mandate periods, and between Jewish groups and Arab-Israelis after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. After an introduction to ethnicity, nationality, and religious identity from a theoretical perspective, focus will be on Ashkenazi Jews, Middle Eastern Jews, and Palestinian Arabs. Students will engage with important contemporary issues in Arab-Israel relations. GE: Understanding Cultural Perspectives. Same as HIST:2156.