Zionism and America
CJST 238
Fall 2026
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01
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"America has a love affair with Israel" -- so an Israeli tourism executive tells an American advertising agency in an early Mad Men episode, set in 1960. In reality, America's relationship with Israel has always been far more complicated than that, and consistently marked by heightened emotions -- by passion and inspiration, but also by disappointment and rejection. This course will explore that complex relationship. In the same Mad Men episode, a character defines Israel as both a place and an idea -- the idea, of course, being Zionism. We will trace how American thinkers, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, have reflected on the Zionist idea: how they shaped and transformed it, supported and encouraged it, but also challenged and rejected it. We will also analyze how American literature, television, and film have represented the Jewish state, and how these representations have shifted over time -- from hailing Israel as a miracle to subjecting it to intense criticism. Specifically, we will discuss differing views of Zionism among American Jews and Christian Zionists, and consider how Christian media has often supported Zionism, for example in recent Christian films such as David and Mary. The scope of this course will be wide-ranging. It will end with Netflix, but it will begin hundreds of years earlier, and will also examine America's role in imagining alternative possibilities for Jewish resettlement, including the long-forgotten plan to establish a Jewish homeland in Texas. We will discuss alternative pasts, as well as competing visions for the future. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA CJST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (Jewish & Israel Studies Minor) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Naomi Cohen. THE AMERICANIZATION OF ZIONISM, 1897¿1948.
Rachel Cockerell. MELTING POINT: FAMILY, MEMORY, AND THE SEARCH FOR A PROMISED LAND.
Rashid Khalidi. THE HUNDRED YEARS¿ WAR ON PALESTINE: A HISTORY OF SETTLER COLONIALISM AND RESISTANCE, 1917¿2017.
Susie Linfield. THE LIONS¿ DEN: ZIONISM AND THE LEFT FROM HANNAH ARENDT TO NOAM CHOMSKY.
Tony Shaw and Giora Goodman. HOLLYWOOD AND ISRAEL: A HISTORY.
Philip Roth. THE COUNTERLIFE and OPERATION SHYLOCK.
Michael Stanislawski. ZIONISM: A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION.
Melvin Urofsky. AMERICAN ZIONISM FROM HERZL TO THE HOLOCAUST.
Melvin Urofsky. WE ARE ONE! AMERICAN JEWRY AND ISRAEL.
Dov Waxman. TROUBLE IN THE TRIBE: THE AMERICAN JEWISH CONFLICT OVER ISRAEL.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly comments on class materials: 60%
Participation: 20%
Final project: 20%
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Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course counts toward the minor in Jewish and Israel Studies |
| Instructor(s): Shavit,Avner Times: .M.W... 02:50PM-04:10PM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 0 | | |
| Seats Available: 19 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 5 | JR non-major: 5 | SO: 5 | FR: 4 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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