Master of Arts in Jewish Studies

Degree Overview		Requirements
Current Offerings:
FALL 2008
Course Descriptions (All)
NOTE!!! Courses other than REL are offered through the College of Arts and Science and require the completion of the "Request for Permission to Receive Graduate Credit for an Undergraduate Level or Professional Course" form. There must be one form per course, signed by all appropriate parties, and returned to the Jewish Studies Office (140 Buttrick Hall) no later than the tenth (10th) day of classes (end of the "Change-of-Course" period). Download form here

 

The Program in Jewish Studies offers a Master of Arts degree through the Graduate Department of Religion, a division of the Graduate School of Vanderbilt University.

(Click here for application)

The Masters degree requires 24 hours and may be pursued via various interdisciplinary programs such as the human sciences, historical and literary studies, philosophical descriptions and analyses, and theological and ethical interpretations. The course of study includes two (2) tracks:

1. General M.A. in Jewish Studies provides an opportunity for an individually crafted study of Judaism based on personal interest and goal. This is a fine vehicle through which to gain a studied understanding of Judaism as a religious and cultural phenomenon as well as to develop insight on its role in human life and experience. Aside from permitting exploration of personal interests, this degree will strengthen credentials for those wishing to acquire degrees enhancing their teaching skills.
   
2. M.A. in Jewish Studies addresses those who wish to sample graduate work in Jewish Studies, with the expectation that they might matriculate elsewhere in a doctoral degree. Students who apply for this degree can expect to deepen their preparation in Jewish studies and to strengthen their credentials for application to other programs.

DEGREE OVERVIEW

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JEWISH STUDIES
FALL 2008  MASTERS COURSES

Courses other than REL are offered through the College of Arts and Science and require the completion of the "Request for Permission to Receive Graduate Credit for an Undergraduate Level or Professional Course" form. There must be one form per course, signed by all appropriate parties, and returned to the Jewish Studies Office (140 Buttrick Hall) no later than the tenth (10th) day of classes (end of the "Change-of-Course" period).

Download form here

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JEWISH STUDIES
Fall 2008
MASTERS COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

REL 3690.  Master's Thesis Research.  This course carries full-time status. Zero credit hours.

LANGUAGE

ARA 230a. Advanced Arabic. Further development of listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills in the Arabic language. Emphasis on grammar and literary techniques. Prerequisite: two years of Arabic or equivalent. FALL, SPRING. [3–3] Hamad.

REL 2514. Elementary Hebrew. Introduction to alphabet, the basics of grammar, and elementary conversation. Classes meet three times per week with an additional two hours a week required in the language laboratory. FALL. [4] Halachmi.

REL 3102. Intermediate Hebrew. Continuation of 111a. Greater stress upon conversation and grammar. Classes meet three times a week with an additional two hours a week required in the language laboratory. SPRING. [4] Halachmi.

REL 2500. Biblical Hebrew. This is the first course in a two-semester sequence leading to a reading knowledge of the Hebrew Bible; concentration is upon the basic elements and grammatical study of the language whereupon students begin to read from the original texts. Open for credit to M.A. students only. FALL. [3] Staff.

REL 3831. Akkadian I. In the first semester of an academic year sequence, students will be introduced to the cuneiform script and to the grammar of Akkadian, the language of ancient Mesopotamia; selected readings will be from  Old Babylonian (Codex Hammurabi, "The Mari Letters") and from Neo-Assyrian texts ("Creation Poem," The Epic of Gilgamesh). REL 3832 will be offered during the 2009 spring semester. FALL [3] Sasson, J.
                                                                                                                                                                       

BIBLICAL STUDIES

REL 2503. The Hebrew Bible. The life and thought of ancient Israel, with emphasis on the community’s understanding of itself and of its role in history. Concentrates both on problems of historical and literary introduction and on Israelite religious practice and faith. Not available for Ph.D. credit in biblical studies. FALL. [3].Knight, D.    

REL 3114.      The Megillot. In this course, participants will study the Five Scrolls (Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther) literarily, critically, and contextually. Students also will discuss the place of each Scroll in Jewish and Christian canons and liturgy. Students who have a knowledge of the Hebrew language will meet for an additional reading and recitation hour each week. FALL. [3] Sasson, J.

ANTIQUITY AND THE MEDIEVAL WORLD

ANTH 215. The Collapse of Civilizations. Causes of the decline or collapse of complex societies. Old World and New World examples. Historical, anthropological, and paleoecological theories and controversies. FALL. [3] Demarest.

CLAS 208. History of Greece to Alexander the Great. The Greek world from the beginning of the Mycenaean Age (1650 B.C.) to the end of the Classical period. Special attention to the relationship between political history and the development of Hellenism. FALL. [3] Hendrick.

CLAS 217. Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt. Art, architecture, and culture of Egypt from the fourth millennium through the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. Sculpture, wall painting, architecture, and material culture. [3] (Offered 2008/2009)

CLAS 224. The Ancient Origins of Religious Conflict in the Middle East. Religious oppositions in the eastern Mediterranean world from the Maccabean revolt to the Muslim conquests of the seventh century; beginnings of religious militancy; challenges of monotheism toGreco-Roman civilization; conversion, persecution, and concepts of heresy and holy war in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. FALL. [3] Drews.

REL 3518. The Qur’an and Its Interpreters. The Qur’an and the Islamic tradition of interpretation. The treatment of Biblical prophets, Jesus and Satan. Interpretations will be drawn from all time periods including rationalist, dogmatic, Shi’i and mystical schools of interpretation. Prerequisite: one course in Religious Studies. SPRING. [3] McGregor.    

REL 3813.     History of Ancient Israel. Examination of the major areas of debate in the reconstruction of the history of ancient Israel and analysis of the important extra-biblical sources that have contributed to the scholarship on ancient Israel’s history.  The course also will address the roles that ancient Israel’s Near Eastern neighbors played in the development of ancient Israel’s history. FALL. [3] Azzoni, A.

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY EXPERIENCE

GER 221. German Culture and Literature. Introduction to major periods and genres of German cultural production from the middle ages to the present; overview of major social and political developments. Literary, philosophical, and other texts. Readings and discussions in German. FALL, [3] Setje-Eilers.

GER 265. Revolutionizing Twentieth-Century Theater. German drama and dramatic theory from Naturalism to the present. Emphasis on Brecht and post-Brechtian drama. FALL. [3]  Setje-Eilers.

GER 273. Nazi Cinema: The Manipulation of Mass Culture. Nazi manipulation of mass culture through film (propaganda, musicals, westerns). Some comparison with American film of the era, additional examination of “fascist” aesthetic legacy in American culture today. No knowledge of German required. Taught in English. FALL. [3] Eigen

HIST 226  01 Europe in the Age of Revolution, 1789–1815. Political, cultural, and economic upheavals in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries; the French Revolution and Napoleon, romanticism, and early industrialization. Emphasis on Britain, France, and Germany. FALL. [3] Ramsey

HIST 228  01. Europe, 1900-1945.  Political, socioeconomic, cultural, and colonial history of Europe from 1914 to the fall of Hitler. FALL. [3] Grunwald.

HIST 230  01.     20th Century Germany. The turbulent history of Germany, as it went from authoritarian state to volatile democracy, to National Socialist dictatorship, to divided country, and to reunification. Special emphasis placed on the Nazi dictatorship, its origins and legacy. No credit for students who have completed 230b. FALL. [3] Grunwald.

JS 256. Power and Diplomacy in the Modern Middle East. History of the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries with an emphasis on U.S. involvement after 1945. U.S. relationship with Israel, and its impact on the region. FALL. [3] Schwartz.

PSCI 284  01                              Selected Topics: German Politics & Culture                               HANCOCK, D.    

REL 3524. The Holocaust: Its Meaning and Implications. An interdisciplinary study of the systematic destruction of the European Jewish communities during World War II. Historical, social, political, cultural developments that led to it. Psychological and sociological dimensions of its aftermath. Philosophical and theological problems it raises for both Jews and Christians. SPRING. [3] Geller.    

CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY, AND LITERATURE

ANTH 206. Theories of Culture and Human Nature. Survey of the views of anthropological thinkers, from the late nineteenth century to the present, about the basic attributes of humankind and human culture. Comparison of different ideas of how people create culture and in turn are molded by culture. FALL. [3] Colas.

ENGL 244-01. Critical Theory: Finding Theories of Laughter, Passion, Recollection and Forgetting in Great Fiction. “Theory” doesn’t seem critical to most people, unless they can be turned on to the exciting work that is being done on the carnivalesque, the mind/brain relation, the origins of human language, and why it is that we can be so turned on, or upset, or inspired, or shocked, by the stories that are told in literature. In this course we shall read great works of fiction in English that move us to reflect upon the really basic questions about reading, writing, and telling stories, and along the way we’ll be inspired by powerful words to laugh, to cry, to dream and to wonder why fiction is the gateway to the magic of abstract exploration of our minds, and the possible worlds they can create. FALL [3] Barsky.

ENGL 288-03. Special Topics in English/American Literature: Romantic Poetry to the Beat Generation: The Liberation of the Poetic Body.  The Romantic poets talked about their bodies, they hiked, they skated, they voyaged, they loved, and along the way they wrote, sometimes, it would seem, they wrote while perched precariously upon a cliff in Italy or near a lake in Switzerland in the face of an impending storm. This sensibility inspired the likes of Allen Ginsberg, Joyce Johnson, William S. Burroughs, Diane Di Prima, Jack Kerouac, Hettie Jones and so many others who fearlessly explored the furthest reaches of America — and their minds, with the artifice of poetry, the waves (and rolls) of prose, and the cacophony of jazz-turned-music upon the page. FALL [3] Barsky.
 
ENGL 355-01. Special Topics: Literary Geography.This seminar will investigate the relationship between literature and geography: how literature, particularly the novel, both imagines and represents political territory, and how literary historians and critics narrate this relationship. We will focus on the circulation of literature, literary communities, and languages beyond national borders, interrogating such terms as "international," "transnational," "global," and "diasporic."  The class will be divided into two sections. The first section will explore key theoretical models of literary geography, Weltliteratur, “Third-World Literature,” and imagined communities. The second section of the class will examine two geographically motivated models of literary history: The Black Atlantic and the Jewish Diaspora. Both these models harness the power of regional and diasporic geographies to challenge national literary narratives and to make visible obscured cultural formations. Students in the class will be given an opportunity to develop and explore their own alternative literary geographies. Readings include literary works by Junot Diaz, José Rizal, Derek Walcott, Philip Roth, Franz Kafka, and Jacqueline Kahanoff. Critical works include texts by Aijaz Ahmand, Benedict Anderson, Rey Chow, Emily Apter, Pheng Cheah, Paul Gilroy, James Clifford, and Daniel Boyarin. FALL [3] Schachter.

EUS 201. European Society and Culture. An interdisciplinary survey of European society, culture, and politics since 1900. FALL. [3] Bess, Werner, Grunwald.

EUS 225. European Realism. Analysis of representative nineteenth-century novels that gave rise to current theories of realism. Balzac, Dickens, Clarín, Galdós, and Dostoevsky. FALL. [3]

FREN 255. French Feminist Thought: Literary and Critical. Feminist themes in twentieth-century French literature and criticism. Authors include Beauvoir, Duras, Sarraute, Irigaray, Cixous.Prerequisite: 220. Recommended: 214. FALL. [3] Debrauwere-Miller.

FREN 294A 01.  Special Topics: Emile Zola: From Naturalist Novels to Social Activism.  This course will introduce students to Emile Zola’s fiction, including examples of work from the long series of novels called Les Rougon Macquart, about a family under the Second Empire. Different facets of Zola’s writings will be discussed, including his method of researching his subject matter, the style of his writing, as well as the "environmental" influences of violence, prostitution, alcoholism and what he described as “the fatal convulsions that accompany the birth of a new world.” Students will also be introduced to the idea of the public intellectual, with reference to Zola’s “J’Accuse,” an open letter to the president denouncing the wrongful conviction of a Jewish officer of the French army for treason. FALL. [3] Barsky.

FREN 394  01.   Special Topics: Intellect: France US                                      BARSKY, R

GER  385A 01.   Problems in Germanic Language & Literature                   FIGAL/EIGEN, S

JS 180W. Introduction to Jewish Studies. An introduction to Judaism and to Jewish history through a number of different lenses: religious, philosophical, political, social, psychological, and artistic.  The course will follow a roughly chronological order, emphasizing the four areas that students will encounter in the overall Program:  Biblical Studies; Antiquity and the Medieval World; the Modern and Contemporary Experience; and Culture, Philosophy, and Literature.  FALL, SPRING [3] Meyer.

MUSL 261. Music, Identity, and Diversity. Issues of multiculturalism and intersections with musical expression in America. Cultural determinants such as race, gender, ethnicity, class, religion, language, ideology, folklore, and history will be studied critically. Prerequisite: any MUSL course or American and Southern Studies 100. [3] Simonett.

PHIL 262. Islamic Philosophy.  Introduction to the major figures of Islamic philosophy including Kindi, Razi, Farabi, Avicenna, and Ibn Khaldun. [3] Goodman.    

PHIL 353  02                              Fig: Spinoza                                           DOBBS-WEINSTEIN, I

PHIL 353  05                              Fig: Marx                                                        HOROWITZ, G    

REL 2505. Religious Autobiography. The construction of identity in religious autobiography: motivations (personal salvation, witness, proselytism); relationships among self, God, and religious tradition; role of memory; cultural, gender, and religious differences. Readings may include Augustine, Gandhi, Malcolm X, Angelou, and Wiesel. [3] Sasson, D..

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SPRING 2009
COURSE SCHEDULE
COMING SOON

The courses marked with " * " are offered through the College of Arts and Science and require the completion of the "Request for Permission to Receive Graduate Credit for an Undergraduate Level or Professional Course" form. There must be one form per course, signed by all appropriate parties, and returned to the Jewish Studies Office (140 Buttrick Hall) no later than the tenth (10th) day of classes (end of the "Change-of-Course" period).

Download form here

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LANGUAGES

BIBLICAL STUDIES

ANTIQUITY AND THE MEDIEVAL WORLD

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY EXPERIENCE

CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY, AND LITERATURE

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MASTER OF ARTS IN JEWISH STUDIES
All Courses (by area)

JEWISH STUDIES

*JS 245. Major Themes in Jewish Studies. Critical and comparative study of Jewish culture using evolving models and paradigms for Jewish beliefs, identity, and history. For majors and potential majors. [3] Urban

*JS 294. Special Topics. Topics to be announced. May be repeated if there is no duplication of material. [3]

LANGUAGES

REL 2500–2501. Elementary Biblical Hebrew. A two-semester course of study leading to a reading knowledge of the Hebrew Bible. Open for credit to M.A. students only. [3] Staff.

REL 2514–2515. Elementary Modern Hebrew. Introduction to alphabet, the basics of grammar, and elementary conversation. Spring: greater emphasis on conversation and grammar. Open for credit to M.A. students only. [3–3] Staff.

REL 3102–3103. Intermediate Modern Hebrew. Modern Hebrew reading, conversation, and advanced grammar. Spring: greater emphasis on reading and writing. Prerequisite: one year of Modern Hebrew or its equivalent. [3–3] Staff.

REL 3814. Intermediate Biblical Hebrew. Grammar and Composition. Prerequisite: REL 3103. [3] Halachmi.

REL 3816. Advanced Hebrew. Reading of selections from the Hebrew Bible, with emphasis on syntax and text criticism. Prerequisite: Elementary Biblical Hebrew. [3] Knight.

REL 3818. Aramaic. Vocabulary, forms, and syntax of Aramaic through reading of the Aramaic sections of Daniel and Ezra and of specimens of material from the Elephantine papyri, the Targums, etc. Prerequisite: 3816. [3] Azzoni.

BIBLICAL STUDIES

ENG 282. The Bible in Literature. An examination of ways in which the Bible and biblical imagery have functioned in literature and fine arts, in both “high culture” and popular culture, from Old English poems to modern poetry, drama, fiction, cartoons, and political rhetoric. Readings include influential biblical texts and a broad selection of literary texts drawn from all genres and periods of English literature. [3] Plummer.

REL 2503. The Hebrew Bible. The life and thought of ancient Israel, with emphasis on the community’s understanding of itself and of its role in history. Concentrates both on problems of historical and literary introduction and on Israelite religious practice and faith. Not available for Ph.D. credit in biblical studies. [3].

REL 2513. Biblical Criticism: History and Traditions. Introduction to the resources, methods, and practice of biblical interpretation, with exercises on selected texts from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Knowledge of biblical languages is not required. [3] Staff.

REL 2756. The Dead Sea Scrolls. The materials from Qumran and other locations in the Judean Desert and Jordan Valley, with reference to their contributions to the understanding of Judaism in the period 200 B.C.E. to 100 C.E. and of earliest Christianity. Open to graduate and advanced Divinity students. Prerequisite: Hebrew. [3] Hunt.

REL 3101. Readings in Biblical Hebrew. A reading course in selected texts of the Hebrew Bible for students who have taken 2500–2501 or its equivalent. [1] Staff.

REL 3108. Eighth-Century Prophecy. A study of the prophetic literature against its ancient Near Eastern background; emphasis placed on the eighth-century B.C.E. prophets and on the contemporary significance of their message. [3]

REL 3109. Exilic Prophecy. A study of Hebrew prophecy from the seventh and sixth centuries B.C.E., with emphasis on the prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Deutero-Isaiah. The work, literature, and thought associated with these great prophets are studied against the background of the events surrounding the Babylonian exile. [3] Knight.

REL 3111. The Pentateuch. A study of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible as the key for understanding Israelite history and theology and as the base point for some of the most critical questions in the study of biblical literature. [3]

REL 3113. The Wisdom Literature in the Ancient Near East. Israel’s wisdom corpus (Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon) in light of comparable literature from Egypt and Mesopotamia. Attention to the structure of wisdom thought, to literary forms, and to traditions. [3] Azzoni.

REL 3115. The Psalms. A study of the Book of Psalms in general, along with readings of selected Psalms in Hebrew. The course will include an analysis of the types and setting of the Psalms in the life of Israel, a discussion of the religion of the poems and their poetic form, and a survey of modern scholarship in the area. [3].

REL 3116. Law in the Hebrew Bible. Legal materials in the Pentateuch, their relation to the prophetic movement, and the role of law in ancient Israel's thought and society against the ancient Near Eastern background. [3] Knight.

REL 3123. The Book of Exodus. General exegesis of the Book of Exodus, concentrating on the definition of its major themes and purposes. If necessary, additional time may be allotted for those requiring extra work in Hebrew or in textual criticism. [3] Staff.

REL 3124. Esther and Ruth. Explores the two books in the Hebrew Bible named for women. Examines Hebrew narrative technique and feminist and postmodern criticism. [3] Staff.

REL 3125. Book of Genesis. General exegesis of the Book of Genesis, concentrating on the definition of its major themes and purposes. Hebrew language not required. [3] Sasson.

REL 3128. Jewish Messianism. A study of messianism and messianic movements in Jewish history in the common era, including contemporary manifestations in Europe, Israel, and North America. [3] Sasson.

REL 3129. Book of Judges. General exegesis of the Book of Judges, concentrating on its major themes, purpose, and narrative techniques. If necessary, additional time may be allotted for those requiring extra work in Hebrew. [3] Sasson.

REL 3133. Book of Job. A study of the book of Job, attending to its literary features, religious themes, internal disputes regarding theodicy, and its relation to other texts from the region. [3] Knight.

REL 3135. Sexuality in the Hebrew Bible and ANE. Explores how various sexual practices (prostitution, homosexuality, heterosexuality, rape, sodomy, incest) are dealt with in the Hebrew Bible and in the larger context of the ANE. [3] Azzoni.

REL 3136. Major Prophets of the Hebrew Bible. Study of Isaiah (1st and 2nd Isaiah), Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Emphasis on historical context in which the Prophets lived and wrote, basic themes developed in their books, and on their relevance for our times. [3]

REL 3166. The Problem of Biblical Authority. Past and present controversies over the authority of scripture. Comparisons of doctrinal statements about scripture with actual uses of it by believers, both in history and today's churches and synagogues. [3] Patte.

REL 3169. Feminist Interpretations of Scripture. Examination of the representations of women, religious and ethnic “others,” and sexuality in biblical and contemporary noncanonical (ANE, Pseudepigrapha, Gnosticism) texts, utilizing various approaches (literary, historical, anthropological, ideological, Womanist, Mujerista). [3] Levine.

REL 3179. Jesus the Jew. The Jewishness of Jesus. Religious and political thought of Jesus’ day. Origins of the Jewish sect that became Christianity. Jesus in early Judaism; rabbinic Judaism; Pharisiasm. Political Rome in the shaping of Judaism and Christianity. [3] Davis.

REL 3218. The Bible in American Religious History. Why and to what effect have Americans produced so many kinds of bibles; not just different translations, but different versions of the same translation or same bible story? In asking such questions, this course considers the broad themes of American religious history, such as race, gender, nationalism, millennialism, and science, and applies such theories as narrative criticism and material Christianity. [3] Flake.

REL 3304. Rabbinic Thought and Theology. The Hebrew Bible, though foundational to traditional Judaism, is not central. Traditional Judaism is the heir of Rabbinic Judaism, which emerged from the academies of the Land of Israel and of Babylonia in the first through seventh centuries of the Common Era. We will focus on the Rabbinic texts which helped define Judaism for over a thousand years in the post-Temple environment. Rabbinic Judaism constitutes a revolution in religiosity, and the weapon of the revolution was the midrash, or the creative Rabbinic rereadings of the Torah. Together we will explore both the messages and the methods of Rabbinic Judaism. [3] Cherry.

REL 3801. The Megillot. Five scrolls, each a different genre of literature, are customarily read in synagogues throughout the year: Esther (Purim), Song of Songs (Passover), Ruth (Shavuot), Ecclesiastes (Sukkot), and Lamentations (Ninth of Av). We sample them and discuss them within the context of ancient Near Eastern literature. For students with at least one year of Hebrew. [3] J. Sasson.

REL 3802. Exegesis of the Bible. Study of the principles, methods, and tools used in the critical study of the Hebrew Bible, including textual, historical-critical, ideological, literary, and other exegetical methods. [3] Knight; Hunt.

REL 3803. Ben Sira with Introduction to Mishnaic Hebrew. Introduction into grammar and vocabulary of Mishnaic Hebrew, with practice in reading and guidance for further study. Reading of selected portions of the Hebrew text of Ben Sira. Emphasis on the experience in reading unpointed Hebrew text of this period, relevance for textual criticism, use of the Greek version, and the place of the book and its theology in the development of Israelite wisdom in general. [3] Azzoni.

REL 3805. Job and Qoheleth. Israelite skepticism, with emphasis on the literary form, thematic coherence, and religious viewpoint of Job and Qoheleth, interpreted within the broad spectrum of Israelite wisdom and consideration of Greek influence. [3] Staff.

REL 3806. The Song of Songs. The Song of Songs text, analysis of the literature, study of the religious significance and social background of the book, and its place in the theology of the Hebrew Bible. Prerequisite: knowledge of biblical Hebrew. [3] Staff.

REL 3807. Proverbs. Analysis of the Book of Proverbs, with emphasis upon translation, themes, and literary features and the function of aphorisms and instructions in the ancient Near East. [3]

REL 3808. Seminar: Hebrew Bible: Book of Samuel with critical reflection on their significance for clarifying the Hebrew Bible. Knowledge of Hebrew required. [3] J. Sasson.

REL 3819. The Targums. An introduction to the Jewish Aramaic translations and interpretations of the Hebrew Bible. The course will aim at familiarizing the students with Jewish Literary Aramaic as reflected by the various Targums. Furthermore, by examining different translations of the same biblical passage, different interpretative approaches will be highlighted. [3] Azzoni.

REL 3828. Book of Daniel. An in-depth analysis of the Book of Daniel, with particular attention the text, its historical background and literary from. The place of the Book of Daniel within Prophetic and Apocalyptic literature will also be discussed. [3] Azzoni.

REL 3829. The Book of Joshua. An exegesis of the book of Joshua, with special attention paid to literary features, issues of historiography and archeological evidence, ideological and religious concerns and relation to other texts of the Hebrew Bible, especially the Deuteronomistic History. [3] Knight

REL 3881. Historiography and Ancient Israel: Chronicles. This course will examine issues of historiography as they relate to Ancient Israel with a particular focus on the Book of Chronicles. The course will focus on the content of Chronicles as well as socio-historical contexts and methodological issues. PhD students will do an extra session with the Hebrew text. [3] Hunt.

ANTIQUITY AND THE MEDIEVAL WORLD

ANTH 226. Myth, Ritual, Belief: The Anthropology of Religion. Crosscultural survey of religious and ritual beliefs in the light of theories of religion. Topics include sacrifice, myth, witchcraft, divination, religious change, and millenarian movements. [3] Staff.

ANTH 263. Myth and Legend: The Anthology of Oral Tradition. Narrative traditions and folklore of Western and non-Western cultures. Myths of world creation, human origins, and transformation. Relationship of myth to dream, historical narrative, and social organization. Myth telling and performance. The structure and theory of myth. [3] Staff.

ANTH 265. Psychological Anthropology. How personality and culture affect each other. Socialization and the life cycle, the definition of sex roles, individual psychology and group aggression, religion and group personality, and the nature of mental illness and normalcy in non-Western societies. [3] Gregor.

ANTH 284. Problems in Anthropological Theory. An advanced seminar in anthropological theory: cultural evolution, cultural history, ethnic relations, cultural ecology, archaeological method and theory, social structure, political organizations, religious institutions. [3] Janusek.

ANTH 315. Seminar in Anthropological Theory: History, Themes, and Current Issues. An advanced consideration of the history of anthropological theory and recent issues and controversies. Emphasis on theories of cultural evolution and development of complex societies. Dialectical exploration of ideas requires each student to argue contrasting perspectives. [3] Demarest.

ANTH 322. Culture, Structure, Personality. Integrative anthropological approaches to human behavior examining symbolism, values, the organization of the group, interaction and psychology. [3] Gregor.

CLAS 208. Greece and the Near East from Alexander to Theodosius. From Alexander’s conquest of the Persian Empire to the ascendancy of Christianity in the late fourth century. Emphasis on social, cultural and religious transformations, within the framework of political history. [3] Drews.

HIST 207. History of the Ancient Near East. From the neolithic period to the conquests of Alexander the Great, in the geographical area from Persia to Troy and Egypt. Special attention to the history of Israel. [3] Drews.

HIST 237. Russia: Tsardom to Empire. Russian history from fifteenth-century Muscovite state, society, and economy; orthodox Russian culture and religion; Peter the Great and Catherine the Great; eighteenth century absolutism, empire, serfdom, and intellectual life. [3] Wcislo.

HIST 257. The Birth of Islam: Muhammad and the Evolution of Muslim Society. Many elements fed into the birth of Islam in the early seventh century, prominent among them Judaism and Christianity. In this course we shall look at how Islam developed from the religion of a small desert tribe into the culture of a major world empire. [3] Wasserstein.

PHIL 211. Medieval Philosophy. Comparative study of key figures in Islamic, Jewish, and Christian philosophy as they struggle with the philosophy of logic, metaphysics, language, culture, politics, ethics, and nature. [3] Dobbs-Weinstein.

REL 3112. Apocalyptic. A study of the early Jewish and Christian apocalyptic movements and literature. [3] Knight, Levine.

REL 3127. Cultures of Ancient Near East. A consideration of the cultural and religious milieus of the third and second millennia B.C.E., as they shed light on Biblical origins. [3] Sasson.

REL 3131. Voices of Women in the Ancient Near East. An introductory examination of the place and portrayal of women in Near Eastern antiquity and in contemporary scholarship, with special consideration of the role genre plays in their representations. [3] Azzoni.

REL 3156. Jewish and Christian Self-Definition. A study of the various options (social, theological, scriptural, practical) facing Jews and Christians in the first three centuries C.E. and of the processes by which the various communities narrowed those options in their attempts to establish a normative identity. [3] Levine.

REL 3225. The Ancient Origins of Religious Conflict in the Middle East. Religious oppositions in the eastern Mediterranean world from the Maccabean revolt to the Muslim conquests of the seventh century; beginnings of religious militancy; challenges of monotheism to Greco-Roman civilization; conversion, persecution, and concepts of heresy and holy war in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. [3] Drews

REL 3501. Judaism in New Testament Times. The varieties of Judaism that emerged from 200 B.C.E. to approximately 200 C.E. Discussions of the Maccabees, the politics and religion of the Hasmonean dynasty, the Dead Sea Scroll community at Qumran, the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Essenes, Philo, the early church and early rabbinic Judaism all placed in their Hellenistic and Roman contexts. Major themes in the development of messianism and apocalypticism. [3].

REL 3503. The Jewish Heritage. A survey of Jewish history and literature for a better understanding of Jesus’ Jewish roots and its important foundation of both Christianity and Islam. Sponsored by the Jewish Chautauqua Society. [3]

REL 3517. Mysticism in Islam. A survey of the origins and development of Islamic mysticism, the rise of asceticism, the development of the Sufi orders, the gradual systematization of Sufi teachings, and modern forms of Sufism. The spread of Islamic mysticism was primarily due to the teachings of great thinkers such as Ibn Arabi, Rabi’a, al-Hallaj, Rumi, al-Ghazali and others. No prior knowledge of Islam is required. [3] McGregor.

REL 3518. The Qur'an and the Tradition of Interpretation. The Qur'an and the Islamic tradition of interpretation. The treatment of Biblical prophets, Jesus and Satan. Interpretations will be drawn from all time periods including rationalist, dogmatic, Shi'i and mystical schools of interpretation. Prerequisite: one course in Religious Studies. [3] McGregor.

REL 3522. Myth, Ritual, and Symbol. Various theories concerning myth and symbol. The specifically religious and humanistic content is sought through the study of a wide variety of myths and symbols in primitive and modern religions. [3] Geller.

REL 3811. Modern Interpreters of Ancient Israel. Characteristic approaches to the history and religion of ancient Israel, as seen in selected writings by prominent scholars since the Enlightenment. Attention to the presuppositions of each scholar and to the view of Israel afforded in each study. Reading ability in German desired. Consent of instructor needed for non-PhD students. SPRING. [3] Knight.

REL 3812. Postexilic Literature and Theology. The literary heritage of ancient Israel from about 538 B.C.E. to 165 B.C.E. Attention to postexilic portions of the book of Isaiah; Haggai; Zechariah; Malachi; I and II Chronicles; Ezra-Nehemiah; Ruth; Esther; Song of Songs; Daniel. The variety of theological perspectives found in this period of Israel’s history and the character of religious thought prior to the Maccabean period. [3]

REL 3813. History of Ancient Israel. Examination of the major areas of debate in the reconstruction of the history of ancient Israel. Analysis of important extra-biblical material that may help shed light upon this topic. Special attention given to the major role that some of its ancient Near Eastern neighbors played in shaping ancient Israel’s history. [3] (Azzoni, Knight or Sasson, J)

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY EXPERIENCE

GER 270. German Film. A survey of the German film with special attention to its sociocultural context and to pertinent theories of photography and of cinematic narration. No knowledge of German required. [3] Sevin.

GER 273. Nazi Cinema: The Manipulation of Mass Culture. Nazi manipulation of mass culture through film (propaganda, musicals, westerns). Some comparison with American film of the era, additional examination of “fascist” aesthetic legacy in American culture today. No German required. [3] Eigen.

HIST 220. Europe in the Nineteenth Century. Major political, social, economic, and cultural developments from 1815 to 1914. [3] Ramsey.

HIST 225. Europe From World War I to World War II. Political, socioeconomic, cultural, and colonial history of Europe from 1914 to the fall of Hitler. [3] Schulz.

HIST 226. Europe since 1945. Origins of the Cold War; political and social transformations, East and West; the breakup of colonial empires; ideological and military tensions; intellectual and cultural trends. [3] Schulz.

HIST 231. History of Germany in the Twentieth Century. The turbulent history of Germany, as it went from authoritarian state to volatile democracy, to National Socialist dictatorship, to divided country, and to reunification. Special emphasis placed on the Nazi dictatorship, its origins and legacy. No credit for students who have completed 230b. [3] Smith.

HIST 235. Modern France. From the French Revolution of 1789 to the present. Emphasis on politics, with some attention to the major economic, social, cultural, and intellectual developments. [3] Ramsey.

HIST 245. Victorian England. Cultural values, liberal reform; urbanization; women and gender; imperialism. [3] Epstein.

HIST 256. Nationalism and Islam in the Middle East since 1798. Secular nationalism and the changing nature of Islamic identification in the Middle East with emphasis on Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and Palestine/Israel. [3] Longwell.

HIST 277. The New South. The aftermath of war and emancipation and the era of Reconstruction; social change and dislocation in the late nineteenth century; the Populist Revolt; the origins of segregation and one-party politics; twentieth-century efforts to modernize the region; the economic, political, and Civil Rights revolutions of the mid-twentieth century; the South in modern American society and politics. [3] Carlton.

HIST 321. Topics in European History: "Interdependence and Internationalism since 1648". It focuses on Europe, the European expansion, and the gradual interweaving of societies, economies, and polities in Europe and the world since 1648. The course comprises three modules with heavy reading emphasis on: 1) the 'human web' (cultural, financial, commercial, associational, migration, flow of energy), 2) the culture of nationalism and internationalism, mainly in the 19th century, and 3) the rise and historical significance of international institutions in the 19th and 20th centuries. [3] Schulz.

*JS 252. Social Movements and the Jewish Polity. How social movements shape contemporary American Jewish culture and politics. Explores movements internal to Judaism and those bringing religion into the public sphere. [3] Kelner.

PSCI 246. Religion and Politics in the United States. The historical and contemporary impact of religion on the political culture, coalitions, and behavior in the United States. The vitality of religion in American society and its political consequences. The evolution of church-state relationships. [3] Layman.

PSCI 286. Seminar: Theory: Religion and Democracy. This course will examine classical and contemporary debates on the place of religion in democratic political life. Topics will include tolerance, diversity and the debate over the public role of faith. [3] Booth.

REL 2709. Bible in Visual Art. TBA. [3] Jensen.

REL 3128. Jewish Messianism. A study of messianism and messianic movements in Jewish history in the common era, including contemporary manifestations in Europe, Israel, and North America. [3] Sasson.

REL 3217. Church and State in American History. A study of the complex historical relationship between church and state in the United States. Particular attention is given to Colonial notions of biblical covenant and social contract; definitions of “religion” employed in American constitutional history; the design of nineteenth-century denominationalism and its influence on religious liberty; and the effects of pluralism on the shape and public expression of religion in the twentieth century. [3] Flake.

REL 3225. Ancient Origins of Religious Conflict in the Middle East. Religious oppositions in the eastern Mediterranean world from the Maccabean revolt to the Muslim conquests of the seventh century; beginnings of religious militancy; challenges of monotheism to Greco-Roman civilization; conversion, persecution, and concepts of heresy and holy war in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. [3] Drews, Wiltshire.

REL 3502. Antisemitism and Jewish Identity. A historical and cultural analysis of the dilemmas Jewish emancipation presented to both Jews and non-Jews, examined through the study of a variety of popular and elite cultural representations of Jews. How antisemitism became entangled with the problems of gender, sexual, racial, class, and self-identity. [3] Geller.

REL 3524. The Holocaust: Its Meanings and Implications. The systematic destruction of the European Jewish communities during World War II. Historical, social, political, and cultural developments that led to it. Psychological and sociological dimensions of its aftermath. Philosophical and theological problems it raises for both Jews and Christians. [3] Geller.

REL 3537. The Holocaust: Representation and Reflection. Explores fundamental questions about the nature of history and representation, the nature of the human and the divine, that the Holocaust raises. Prerequisite: 3524 or its equivalent. [3] Geller.

REL 3880.01. Zionism:  Politics, Religion and Ethnicity. Zionism has often been labeled as colonialism or even racism. How does this go together with the Zionist vision to create a new society of universal value? This course will review the history of the Zionist idea and grapple with the ongoing tension between religion and ethnicity which is distinctive of Jewish nationalism. We will trace the evolution of Zionism from religious longing to political vision and power politics. Beginning with its messianic forerunners, we shall examine the various camps within the movement; consider competing visions of national renewal and anti-Zionism opposition in the pre-state period and beyond. We shall investigate how the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 rallied Christian Zionists and their support for Greater Israel. The Holocaust (Shoah), the policy of ‘ingathering the exiles,’ the displacement of Palestinian Arabs, and the Arab-Israeli wars, questioned the moral foundations of the Zionist idea. The second part of the course will examine today’s Jewish critics and defenders of Zionism. Special attention will be given to the Israeli school of the “new historians” who triggered a ramified controversy by challenging the historiography of mainstream Labor Zionism. We shall use a wide variety of sources, including speeches, historiography, fiction, art, letters, and film. This course is open to undergraduates and graduates; no prerequisites.SPRING. [3] Urban.REL 3809. The Sociology of Early Israel. The nature of Israelite society, especially in its early periods, through readings in source materials and selected sociological interpretations. [3] Knight.

REL 3811. Modern Interpretations of the Hebrew Bible. Characteristic approaches to the history and religion of ancient Israel, as seen in selected writings by prominent scholars since the Enlightenment. Attention to the presuppositions of each scholar and to the view of Israel afforded in each study. Reading ability in German desired. Consent of instructor needed for non-PhD. students. [3] Knight.

*RLST 233. History and Memory in Modern Judaism. Conceptions of myth and mysticism in modern Jewish thought. Particular attention will be given to intellectuals who appropriated mystical ideas, the ecstatic experience and myth for a renewal of Jewish spirituality, and those who engaged in a scholarly reevaluation of Jewish mysticism. [3] Urban

*RLST 294. Special Topics. (Must be related to Jewish Studies – See Advisor) [3].

CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY, AND LITERATURE

ANTH 206. Theories of Cultures and Human Nature. Survey of the views of anthropological thinkers, from the late nineteenth century to the present, about the basic attributes of humankind and human culture. Comparison of different ideas of how people create culture and in turn are molded by culture. [3] Ross.

ANTH 226. Anthropology of Religion. Cross-cultural survey of religious and ritual beliefs in light of theories of religion. Topics include sacrifice, myth, witchcraft, divination, religious change, and millenarian movements. [3]

ANTH 237. Ethnicity, Race, and Culture. Key concepts used in the history of anthropology to explain social diversity; theories of racial typology, cultural traditions, and ethnic identity. R