ISR 5006 Israel Seminar
This seminar explores the changing nature of Israeli society from its pre-state emphasis on the moulding of the new Jew to the contemporary reality of competing ideational-cultural voices. The course opens with an examination of Jewish attitudes towards the Land of Israel, Zionist definitions of the new Jew and an exploration of the attempt to establish a civil religion based on "statism." Historical analysis provides the background for significant changes in Israeli society and politics, with key focus on why the Labor Zionist movement lost its hegemony. Thereafter, the course focuses upon the various "voices" in Israeli society such as the secular, mizrachim, haredi, religious Zionist, progressive, new immigrants from the FSU and Arab citizens of Israel. We will explore the interaction of these groups through dialogue efforts and also by a study of Israel's political system. Particular attention is paid to the way in which the Arab-Israel conflict impacts within Israeli society. The course concludes by discussing the meaning of social cohesion in an Israeli context, cognizant of changing political, cultural, and economic realities. Throughout, some attention is given to the significance of Israel within the wider story of the Jewish People, including how students might translate what they have learnt into professional and personal lives. The course is largely classroom based using a variety of sources in addition to weekly academic reading (film, music, literature...etc). Where possible, effort is made to use extended learning days for occasional educational visits to sites around the country.