PHI 240 HISTORY OF ZIONIST THOUGHT

An examination of the Zionist idea from ancient times to the present. After exploring its Biblical roots and medieval forms, the course focuses on the past 150 years. Topics include the historical and political contexts of modern Zionism, its many diverse competing forms, the impact of antisemitism on its development, early debates between Zionist and anti-Zionist Jews, American Zionism, the impact of the Holocaust, and the later development of Zionism after Israel's founding.