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Sample Proposal: Global Cultures

College of Liberal Arts

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J S 311 Jewish Studies, An Introduction

Department of Jewish Studies

To satisfy the Global Cultures flag, at least one-third of course grade must be based on content dealing with non-U.S communities, countries, or coherent regional groupings of countries, past or present. Please describe which non-U.S. communities will be studied in this course, and how one-third of the course grade is based on study of the group(s).

This course focuses on Jewish communities throughout the globe and over time, including, but not limited to: Jewish life in Latin America, the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, and Europe. The conceptual frame for understanding the multiple migrations and settlement of Jewish populations is introduced in the first unit “Exile and Diaspora,” and specific case studies are considered in the second unit “Jewish Identity.” Together, these two unit enable students to consider the political, cultural, and religious implications of a geographically dispersed people group. The diversity of the Jewish experience will be emphasized throughout the course, but will be a particular focus for the first two-thirds, or 2 out of 3 of the units, resulting in more than 66% course content.

The Global Cultures flag requires that an in-depth examination of the broader cultural context and perspectives of these non-U.S. communities. Please describe readings, assignments, and activities that allow students to engage in depth with these non-U.S. communities.

Course readings that emphasize cultural context and perspectives outside of the U.S. are largely drawn from The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Studies (Edited by Martin Goodman,‎ Jeremy Cohen,‎ David Sorkin, 2005), organized as linguistic and area studies within the broader Jewish Studies compendium. These readings are including, but not limited to: “Judaeo-Spanish Studies”; “Judaeo-Arabic and Judaeo-Persian”; “Yiddish Studies,” “Other Diaspora Jewish Literature since 1492,” more general overviews of the contemporary global Jewish community such as “Jewish Demography” and “Modern Jewish Society.” In addition, guest lecturers invited during the first two units of the course will speak Jewish life in various parts of the globe over time, and will introduce questions for discussion and debate that will force students to think through the challenges of Jewish identity. In-class activities will involve small teams of students considering in greater depth historical and contemporary role of various non-US Jewish communities around the globe, their relationships to one another, and how they have shaped (or are not recognized as shaping), Jewish culture as a whole. Each team’s research and reflection will culminate in short in-class presentations.

The Global Cultures flag indicates that, ideally, a course will challenge students to explore the beliefs and practices of non-U.S. cultural communities in relation to their own cultural experiences so that they engage in an active process of self-reflection. Please describe some assignments or activities that give students an opportunity for this kind of reflection.

During weekly, in-class, free-writing and sharing assignments over the course of the first two units, students will be given writing prompts that involve considering their own cultural beliefs, practices, and experiences in relation to those of non-U.S. Jewish communities. Prompts might include questions such as: “In today’s reading, the author discussed assimilation. What was the significance of preserving Jewish identity in this context of the reading, and what determined it? Have you ever been confronted with a moment where you were challenged to preserve your own cultural identity? What did you do?”; “In this film, we were introduced to the significance of Jewish cultural and ritual objects preserved over time. Do you have any items that preserve family heritage in some way? Describe them, and how they are similar or different to the Jewish material culture in the film;” “The importance of Jewish community cohesion in preserving identity was argued throughout the text. Are you part of a religious, cultural or political community that requires cohesion? What activities or events enable this cohesion to take place? What threatens the cohesion?”