Jews in the History of the USA 4219-SH084
The purpose of the course is to present the history of Judaism and Jewish people in the USA as a multifaced phenomenon. In the twentieth century Judaism went through a radical changes, it happened, mainly, in the USA, thanks to thinkers as: Mordechai Kaplan and Abraham J. Heschel. USA today is the cradle of modern and post-modern Jewish thinking. Worth to analyze the cultural implications of these changes. Today's most important Jewish thinkers include Daniel Boyarin, Shmuel Magid and Judith Plaskow, who have established a creative dialogue with modern critical thought like postmodernism, feminism and postsecularism.
The social and the political structure in the west is shaped mainly by European culture and tradition, also in its religious dimension, but these religious traditions are going through a deep modification. This transformation is particularly present in the USA. The course will concentrate on Jewish thinking in the USA, and its dialog with different religions in the American society.
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to analyze anthropological texts, recognize their cognitive values, hidden ideological assumptions, persuasive strategies. Besides, he will acquire the ability to look critically at the language of public media, explain political discourse and religious language, especially its functioning in the public space. He will be able to establish partnerships at the international level on sensitive topics judged differently, depending on the national and cultural context. In this way, he will build a space for dialogue and understanding between nations and cultures.
a knowledge
Upon completion of this course, the student has knowledge of the basic issues related to the problems of the history of Judaism, and is familiar with advanced and in-depth literature on the subject. He or she is familiar with the comprehensive various perspectives on the issue in the United States and around the world. Is familiar with advanced research methods and tools to describe the state of research and major theoretical positions. He understands the role of history and ways of remembering it in American culture.
b) Skills
Upon completion of this course, the student is able to search and analyze information to learn about different ways of understanding Jewish history, has advanced interdisciplinary analysis skills and is able to use them to prepare an essay or presentation, detects and recognizes relationships between ideological choices and ways of understanding the past, is able to critically use theories and concepts of memory to recognize specific theoretical positions, and critically analyzes and interprets various proposals about the past. With this, he formulates arguments of criticism on topics related to history and has the ability to prepare for discussions on different ways of understanding the past using solid arguments and has the ability to prepare a defense of positions on different choices using the literature on the subject.
(c) Social competencies
Upon completion of this course, the student is able to interact and work in a group while performing and preparing various theoretical works, is able to plan and undertake research steps accordingly, and understands the importance of reliable preparation for life for a citizen of a democratic state understands and appreciates the role of knowledge for understanding the past and functioning in the United States, and understands the importance of reflection and discourse for the functioning of various institutions in the United States. The student engages in discussion of culture in its broadest sense and actively participates in it, understands the need for continuous learning in the field of various cultural theories, completes and improves his/her knowledge of history and how to understand it, and shows respect for different views
Assessment criteria
Each of the lesson units is a self-contained whole, although they are closely interrelated. Class participants are expected not only to read the prescribed material, but also to participate actively and critically in class. Evaluation will be based on class activity, ability to critically analyze the proposed texts and creativity in proposing additional materials.
Final essay or presentation 80%
attendance and activity in class 20%
Bibliography
D. Boyarin, Border Lines
D. Boyarin, No-State Solution
A. M. Eisen, The Chosen People in America
A. Green. Radical Judaism. Rethinking God and Tradition
T. Hertzel, The Jewish State
A. J. Heschel. No Religion Is An Island
M. Kaplan. Judaism as a Civilization
S. Magid, American Post-Judaism
P. Novick, The Holocaust in American Life
Amoz Oz, Fania Oz-Salzberger, Jews and Words
J. Plaskow, Jewish Feminist Thought
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: