The Arab-Israeli Conflict

Catalog description

This course examines the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict from the late nineteenth century to the present. Utilizing a broad array of sources, including film, literature, popular music, photographs, oral history, and other primary sources, students will explore different narratives of the conflict, viewed from the perspective of both Arabs and Israelis. We will seek to understand key historical moments, including the rise of Palestinian nationalism and the Zionist movement, life under the British mandate, the major impact of the Holocaust, the birth of the Palestinian refugee crisis, and regional wars. Finally, the class will examine the lasting effects of violence and collective trauma, and the many attempts to peacefully resolve the conflict since 1967.