Admission requirements
Some background in Jewish studies, Religious Studies, or Middle Eastern Studies is desired but not required.
Description
Israel is home to a diverse array of Jewish and non-Jewish groups with each group bringing its own cultural mores, traditions and unique history.This course examines Israeli society through the lens of national, ethnic, and religious identity. Among the topics to be explored are: Israel’s policies and approaches to immigration; identity politics in Israel; ethnic relations in Israel; non-Jewish minorities in the Jewish state. This class will ask the question to whether we can talk about a Israeli culture from the perspective of a melting pot or a mosaic? A broad array of genres and modes of expression - not only academic writings, but also literature, popular music, film, documentaries and art - will be incorporated into our discussions.
Course objectives
The object of this course is to provide a basic understanding of modern Israeli politics, culture and identity through lectures, discussions and student lead presentations. At the conclusion of the courses student should be aware of:
The student will gain insight into the ever-changing identities and manifestations of Jews and non-Jews in Israel.
Zionist Historiography’s treatment of diverse Jewish groups
The demographic composition of Israel
The ethnic component within Israel politics
Concepts such as Ethnicity, Identity, and Minority.
The ability to critically read academic work.
Timetable
Timetable Religiewetenschappen
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Films – compulsory attendance
Course Load
Total work load: 5 ec × 28 hours = 140 hours
Attending lectures: 2 hours per week x 12 weeks = 24 hours
Time for studying the compulsory literature and completing bi-weekly assignments (5 hours per week): 60
Preparation for presentations: 16 hours
Writing the final research essay (including reading / research): 40 hours
Assessment method
Assessment & Weighing
| Partial grade | Weighing |
|---|---|
| In-class participation | 10% |
| In-class presentation | 10% |
| Bi-weekly assignments (x5) | 25% |
| Research Proposal & Outline | 5% |
| Final research essay (4000 words) | 50% |
End grade
To successfully complete the course, please take note that the end grade of the course is established by determining the weighted average.
Resit
Students who have been active participants in class and submitted the final paper on time, but scored an overall insufficient mark, are entitled to a resit. For the resit, students are given a chance to hand in a new version of the final paper.
In case of resubmission of the final essay (insufficient grade only) the final grade for the essay will be lowered as a consequence of the longer process of completion. The deadline for resubmission is 10 working days after receiving the grade for the final essay.
Retaking a passing grade
Please consult the Course and Examination Regulations 2018 – 2019.
Exam review
How and when an exam review takes place will be determined by the examiner. This review will be within 30 days after official publication of exam results.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for:
for course information,
the weekly schedule,
announcements,
assignments
reading material
Reading list
This course will use a wide assortment of articles either supplied by instructor or available electronically through the University library. Below is a non-exhaustive list, indicative of the material we will be reading together:
Ben-Eliezer, U., 2008. Multicultural society and everyday cultural racism: second generation of Ethiopian Jews in Israel's ‘crisis of modernization’ Ethnic and Racial Studies, 31(5), pp.935–961.
http://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/UBL_V1:All_Content:TN_tayfranc10.1080/01419870701568866
Kaplan, S., 2002. Black and white, blue and white and beyond the pale. Jewish Culture and History, 5(1), pp.51–68.
http://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/UBL_V1:All_Content:TN_rambi000397342
Khazzoom, A., 2014. Jews in Israel. In Jews in Israel : effects of categorization practice on research findings and research frameworks. pp. The Social Scientific Study of Jewry (2014) 194–211.
http://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/UBL_V1:All_Content:TN_rambi000553375
Khazzoom, A., 2003. The great chain of orientalism: Jewish identity, stigma management, ania ethnic exclusion in Israel. American Sociological Review, 68(4), pp.481–510.
http://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/UBL_V1:All_Content:TN_wos000222054200001
Lerner, J., Rapoport, T. & Lomsky‐Feder, E., 2007. The Ethnic Script in Action: The Regrounding of Russian Jewish Immigrants in Israel. Ethos, 35(2), pp.168–195.
http://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/UBL_V1:All_Content:TN_wj10.1525/eth.2007.35.2.168
Okun & Khait-Marelly, 2010. The impact of intermarriage on ethnic stratification: Jews in Israel. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 28(4), pp.375–394.
http://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/UBL_V1:All_Content:TN_tayfranc10.1080/01419870701719071
Shohat, E., 1988. Sephardim in Israel. Social Text, (19-20), pp.1–35.
http://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/UBL_V1:All_Content:TN_rambi000025548
Smooha, S., 2008. The mass immigrations to Israel. Journal of Israeli History, 27(1), pp.1–27.
http://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/UBL_V1:All_Content:TN_rambi000466761
Yuchtman-Yaar, E., 2005. Continuity and Change in Israeli Society: The Test of the Melting Pot. Israel Studies, 10(2), pp.91–128.
http://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/UBL_V1:All_Content:TN_museS1527201x05200912
‘A conversation with Sayed Kashua on Arab-Israel Identity’ In Moment Magazine, 28/09/17
https://www.momentmag.com/conversation-sayed-kashua-arab-israeli-identity/
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available on the website
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Registration Studeren à la carte
Registration (Contractonderwijs](https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/onderwijs/overig-onderwijs/contract-en-aanschuifonderwijs/contractonderwijs)
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