Ancient Judaism: Special Topics

Catalog description

This course offers rotating topics in the study of ancient Judaism. The choice of primary topic in each iteration of the course is made by the instructor. The course features advanced study of Judaism in a range of historical settings, from its beginnings in biblical Israel to the development of Jewish texts, traditions, and communities in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. By adopting a critical approach, this course offers students an opportunity to conduct and examine research on ancient Judaism in a theoretically informed, cross-disciplinary manner. The course brings methods, material, and insights from Jewish studies to bear on ongoing work in many fields, including history, philosophy, political theory, religious studies, and comparative literature. Course topics may be thematic, revolving around specific themes like diaspora, Jewish identity, Jewish experiences of empire, or questions of gender. They may be organized around specific places or periods, for example: the history of Jerusalem, Jews in Hellenistic Egypt, first-century Palestine, Roman-era Alexandria, or late antique Babylon. They may also include the analysis of Jewish literature or textual traditions within their social, political, religious, and cultural contexts. The aim of the course is to provide students with critical exposure to aspects of ancient Judaism as well as a solid grounding in scholarly research methods.