You are here: American University College of Arts & Sciences Center for Israel Studies Courses & Minor
Fall 2024 Courses
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Israeli Politics & Public Policy (ISR 317-001/GOVT 317-001)
Instructor: Dan Arbell
Crosslist: ISR 317 and GOVT 317
Tuesday/Friday 11:20 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.
This course provides an overview of the geopolitical history of Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict from the pre-state era until the present as well as an analysis of the principles that guide Israel's political system and the cleavages in Israeli society which greatly affect developments and trends in politics and policy. It is mostly conducted as a lecture/discussion course, but also includes reading academic articles, watching films, listening to guest lectures, holding class debates, and discussing current news and developments.
History of Israel (HIST 443-001/643-001, ISR 443-001)
Instructor: Michael Brenner
Crosslist: HIST 443/643 and ISR 443
Monday/Thursday 12:55 p.m. - 2:10 p.m.
Traces the development of modern political Zionism in nineteenth-century Europe; the historical background leading to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948; and the history of Israel since then, including patterns of Jewish immigration and its relationship to the Arab world. Crosslist: HIST-643 and ISR-443.
Jerusalem: Myth Hist Modernity (CORE 105-040/CORE 107-013)
Instructor: Martyn Oliver
CORE 105-040: Tuesday/Friday 11:20 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.
CORE 107-013: Tuesday/Friday 9:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Central for the three Abrahamic traditions, Jerusalem has been a locus of worship and dispute for over two thousand years. This course proceeds chronologically, beginning with the earliest archeological evidence of settlement in what is now Jerusalem and then turns to how the city plays a role in the mythic imagination of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. As the story of Jerusalem plays out over time, students examine the tension between the physical city and its real-world inhabitants versus the many imperial projections about the city, from the Assyrians and Babylonians, the Persians, the Romans, the empires of medieval Europe and the Ottomans, the British, the Arabs and finally to the modern State of Israel and the Palestinian Territories. At every turn students explore how Jerusalem so often serves as a proxy for disputes over identity, culture, language, and religion. In addition to creating their own representations of Jerusalem, students visit local museums and institutions, hear from a variety of guest speakers, and develop an appreciation for the complexity of a place that, too often tragically, remains central to contemporary geo-politics and personal identity.
US-Israel Relations (SISU-330-001)
Instructor: Guy Ziv
Tuesday/Friday 2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
This course explores the evolution of U.S. relations with Israel, from pre-1948 American Zionism to President Truman's decision to recognize the Jewish state in 1948 to America's role as Israel's greatest supporter in the world today. Along the way, it examines key milestones in US-Israel relations, including the wartime American airlift in 1973; the U.S. role in Arab-Israeli peacemaking, from Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy to the two Camp David summits and beyond; and American military, economic, and diplomatic aid to the Jewish state. The course analyzes how a combination of sentimental, domestic political, and strategic factors have led to the formation of a wholly unique bilateral relationship characterized at once by both tight bonds and inherent tensions.
Israeli Society (ISR-340, SOCY-340)
Instructor: Efrat Yerday
Wednesday 11:20 a.m. - 2:10 p.m.
Crosslist: ISR-340, SOCY-340
This course explores the emergence of Israeli society and its changes over time. It reviews Israel's ideological and political foundations, the centrality of immigration, the emergence of Arab minorities and Jewish ethnic divisions, and assesses political, economic, religious, and family patterns within the broader Jewish and Palestinian communities. Crosslist: SOCY-340.
Hebrew, Elementary Modern I (HEBR 116-001)
Instructor: Sarit Lisogorsky
Monday/Thursday: 9:45 - 11:00 a.m.
Focuses on the acquisition of basic vocabulary and grammatical structures in culturally authentic contexts through speaking, reading, writing, and listening comprehension. Designed for students with no prior experience with Hebrew. Usually Offered: fall.
Hebrew, Intermediate Modern I (HEBR-216.001)
Instructor: Sarit Lisogorsky
Monday/Thursday: 11:20 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.
Refinement of basic language skills in a cultural context. Expansion of vocabulary and grammatical structures and development of communicative skills. Usually Offered: fall. Prerequisite: HEBR-117.
Spring 2024 Courses
Arab-Israeli Relations (SISU 319-001)
Instructor: Dan Arbell
Monday/Thursday 12:55 – 2:10 p.m.
Location: TBD
Credits: 3
**This course is a core course for the Israel Studies Minor**
A survey of Arab-Israeli relations from their origins to the present. Includes an account of Zionism and Palestinian nationalism, the history of the British mandate, the Arab-Israeli wars, the involvement of external powers, and the quest for peace. The emphasis is on conflict resolution. Usually Offered: spring. Grading: A-F only. Prerequisite: SISU-206 and SISU-210.
Arabs in Israel (ISR 300-001/GOVT 396-001)
Instructor: Morad El Sana
Wednesday 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Location: TBD
Credits: 3
This course introduces students to the Israeli-Arab community in Israel through analysis of its economic, educational, historical, and political structure and experience. The course begins with an overview of their cultural heritage, ethnic, religious, national identity, and traditional customs then examines some of these subjects more deeply, such as Israeli-Arab cultural and religious practices, family conflict resolution practices and mediation, marital structure (including polygamy), child-rearing practices, women's education and power, family honor, social-economic status, and the traditional justice system. Finally, it addresses how today's Israeli-Arab community interacts with Israeli law, with the Israel-Jewish community including local and national elections, urbanization processes and, of course, the important issue of land claims and the impact of the larger Israeli-Arab political conflict on this community. Case examples are an integral part of the course. Crosslist: GOVT 396
Modern Jewish Civilization (HIST 245-001)
Instructor: Lauren Strauss
Monday/Thursday 9:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Location: TBD
Credits: 3
This survey course covers a broad range of Jewish political, social, cultural, religious, and intellectual history from the early modern period (approximately sixteenth to early seventeenth centuries) to the mid-twentieth century. Students encounter groups of Jews as diverse as the ultra-orthodox Hasidim, the founders of the Jewish enlightenment and Reform movements, bourgeois European women, and radical revolutionaries. Geographically and culturally, Jews have spanned the globe, reflecting the modes of dress, cooking, architecture, etc. of many countries and speaking over 30 specifically Jewish languages (which combine Hebrew with others) as well as the dominant languages of their home countries. The modern Jewish experience has encompassed both euphoria and despair, as in the mid-twentieth century with the Shoah (Holocaust) and the establishment of the State of Israel. This diversity is reflected in both classroom discussions and assignments. Through reading of primary documents from each time and place, students understand history in "real time," and critically analyze the social and political structures that exercised power over the lives of Jews and others in various communities. These lessons are reinforced with a visit to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. AU Core Integrative Requirement: Diversity and Equity. Usually Offered: spring. Grading: A-F only.
Negotiating Israeli-Palestinian Peace (SISU 419-008)
Instructor: Guy Ziv
Wednesday, 11:20 a.m. – 2:10 p.m.
Location: TBD
Credits: 3
This course provides students with a deeper understanding of the problems that have confounded the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, in particular the "final status" issues: borders, Jerusalem, refugees, and security. Students focus on the contested narratives; the relevant political actors; and the key international, regional, and internal events that have shaped the dispute. Previous rounds of negotiations are also reviewed in order to analyze what went wrong. Students then partake in a simulation in which they attempt to constructively address the final status issues as well as other sticking points, such as settlements and terrorism, in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.
Nuclear Age in the Middle East (SISU 310-003)
Instructor: El Sayed Ghannam
Mondays/Thursdays 2:30 – 3:45 PM
This course covers decisions of nuclear armament, proliferation, and non-proliferation of Israel, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, and possibly other Middle Eastern nuclear aspirants (e.g., Turkey, Saudi Arabia). The course underscores the scholarly and policy novelties of studying the nuclear age, namely in terms of the resurgent discourse on nuclear awakening and the debate over the horizon of nuclear technology in the Middle East. The course addresses these issues from both a historical perspective and an analytical international relations perspective. At the core of this debate is the exclusivity of security considerations to acquiring the bomb within the framework of the established theories of the balance of power and the balance of threat. Students are exposed to a thorough analysis of the major debate and schools of thought about the impact of nuclear weapons, including differentiation between conventional and nuclear deterrence. Students learn whether and how various theories of nuclear proliferation and nuclear policies apply to the regional cases. The course emphasizes important methodological issues as to how to apply the theoretical framework as well as important concepts in regional security. The course also sheds light on other factors, such as bureaucracy and prestige, in nuclear decisions. Students move beyond mere recollection of historical records and gain a robust framework to better understand the debate over regional security and arms control. Students discuss the intersection between policy and politics, as well as the nexus between political and technical imperatives. The course exposes students to archival materials from Egyptian and Iranian literature and the puzzles that arise from this literature.
Voices of Modern Jewish Lit (JWST 210-001)
Instructor: Lauren Strauss
Mondays/Thursdays, 12:55 - 2:10 p.m.
Location: TBD
Credits: 3
**This course is a core course for the Israel Studies Minor**
Explores a variety of literary works analyzing the historical experience of modern Jewish communities in Europe, as well as the United States and Israel, emphasizing how migration, racism, industrialization, and political change affected these Jews and their Judaism. AU Core Habits of Mind: Creative-Aesthetic Inquiry. Usually Offered: spring.
Hebrew, Elementary Modern II (HEBR 117-001)
Instructor: Sarit Lisogorsky
Mondays/Thursdays, 9:45 - 11:00 a.m.
Location: TBD
Credits: 3
Continuation of HEBR-116.
Usually Offered: spring.
Prerequisite: HEBR-116.
Hebrew, Intermediate Modern II (HEBR 217-001)
Instructor: Putterman-Kenett, S
Monday 6:15-7:30 p.m., Thursday 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Location: Battelle-Tompkins Bldg T48 Lecture
Credits: 3
Continuation of HEBR-216.
Usually Offered: spring.
Prerequisite: HEBR-216.
About the Minor
Please see complete requirements below.
AU's undergraduate minor in Israel Studies is one of the premier programs of its kind in the United States. Courses are offered in numerous areas including sociology, Jewish studies, history, and the School of International Service. Another feature of the minor is its seamless connection with study abroad in Israel. AU students are encouraged to study in Israel and receive credits toward the Israel Studies minor.
For additional information, please contact Dr. Michael Brenner, Abensohn Chair of Israel Studies, 202-885-2752, mbrenner@american.edu; or Laura Cutler, Managing Director, 202-885-3780, cutler@american.edu.