RELS 130 Jews, Judaisms, and Jewish Identities
A truism in Jewish Studies says: if you want to study Jews, you have to study the world. While this course does not require knowledge of the entire world, it will offer you the exciting and challenging invitation to study Jews as an often minority population with international impact and significance. Within such an expansive aperture we will focus on the narratives—both ancient and contemporary—that have proven themselves most resonant and subject to discourse for Jews. Joining this discourse ourselves we will not merely learn dominant Jewish narratives which respect to, for example, the Hebrew Bible, exile, and the history of Jews of European origin (Ashkenazi Jews). We will also consistently complicate and subvert these narratives with the help of Jewish feminist and queer voices as well as perspectives and histories from Jews who have not gained dominant privilege from an afforded proximity to whiteness, mainly Jews with origins in the Middle East-North Africa (Mizrahi Jews) and Spain (Sephardi Jews). By the end of the course students will be more adaptable thinkers who are able to be inspired by the wide aperture of Jewish experience and identities in order to further expand the diversity and dynamism of Jewish narratives rather than limit them.
Prerequisite
N/A
Corequisite
N/A
Core Requirements Met
- Pre-1800
- Global Connections