MES 380DZionist Thought

Catalog

This seminar will explore Zionist thought in its historical and philosophical contexts, focusing on debates between political, cultural, and religious Zionists, and critics and criticism of Zionism. The course is intended to provide a grounding in the foundational nineteenth and early twentieth century texts of Zionism and to understand the philosophical, political, and religious background, ideas, debates, historiography, and critiques of Zionism. The course focuses in large part on the disagreements between political, religious, and cultural leaders and philosophers from distinct world regions, including Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and the Middle East broadly construed – from North Africa to Iraq. In the second half of the course, students will examine recent debates about Zionism (since 1967), including the question of Israel as a Jewish and Democratic state, settler colonialism, and a range of political and religious arguments surrounding Zionism. These will include Palestinian, Sephardi, Mizrachi, and Ottoman perspectives on Zionism. Topics and themes will include: emancipation, anti-Semitism, assimilation, sources of authority, models and visions of nation and nationalism, religion and secularism, exile, diaspora, and relation to ancient history and tradition. In addition to the content of this course, students will practice the process skills of reading and writing critically. Students will be expected to read the texts carefully and to come to class prepared to ask and answer questions. The course will require at least 40 pages of reading each week. Students who have taken ISRL 211 or JUST 211 will not receive credit for taking ISRL 313 or JUST 313.