History of Antisemitism ((4 Credits))

Catalog description

The student will examine the history of antisemitism in recent centuries. The student will gain a broad understanding of the various forms antisemitism has taken from medieval times up to the present day. Students will pay particular attention to last two hundred years in this history, and will focus on, among other topics, the shift in mid-late nineteenth century Europe from religious antisemitism to 'racial' antisemitism, the antisemitic ideology of Nazism, and the relationship between the founding/existence of Israel and contemporary antisemitism. This course, in studying the issue of antisemitism, will address social justice issues, including race, class, and gender, as well as explore matters of intersectionality so that students gain an understanding of how overlapping forms of identity-based discrimination interact with one another.