The Making of American Jewish Identities: Blood, Bris, Bagels, and Beyond
RELI 384
Spring 2009
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01
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Crosslisting:
AMST 383 |
Certificates: Jewish and Israel Studies |
Course Cluster: Jewish and Israel Studies |
Jewish identities in the United States, and perhaps elsewhere, have been difficult to define in categorical terms. Jewishness is often seen, and lived, as an amorphous peoplehood--on the boundaries of such categories as religion, race, ethnicity, nation, culture, class gender, and sexuality. This course will examine some of the conceptual and political categories that have been used since the 19th century to construct and interpret American Jewish identities. By examining the ties and tensions among these categories of identity, students will gain a new understanding of American Jewishness, as well as a critical perspective on the process of collective identity formation. What, we will ask, does the endless proliferation of categories around Jewishness tell us about the nature of collective identity, as such? Is Jewishness somehow unique, or distinctive, in this categorical multiplicity? Or does the ambiguity of American Jewishness give us insight into the ambiguity of other identities? |
Essential Capabilities:
None |
Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS RELI |
Course Format: Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (AMST)(RELI) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Eric Goldstein, THE PRICE OF WHITENESS: JEWS, RACE, AND AMERICAN IDENTITY Andrew R. Heinze, ADAPTING TO ABUNDANCE: JEWISH IMMIGRANTS, MASS CONSUMPTION, AND THE SEARCH FOR AMERICAN IDENTITY Jenna Weissman Joselit, THE WONDERS OF AMERICA: REINVENTING JEWISH CULTURE 1880-1950 Riv-Ellen Prell, PRAYER AND COMMUNITY: THE HAVURAH IN AMERICAN JUDAISM Riv-Ellen Prell, FIGHTING TO BECOME AMERICANS: ASSIMILATION AND THE TROUBLE BETWEEN JEWISH WOMEN AND JEWISH MEN Mark Raider, THE EMERGENCE OF AMERICAN ZIONISM Regina Schwartz, THE CURSE OF CAIN: THE VIOLENT LEGACY OF MONOTHEISM
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Examinations and Assignments: Regular attendance and class participation. A number of short papers on the course readings, and a longer final paper based on independent research. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments: This course fulfills the "Thematic Approaches" requirement for the Religion department major. |
Instructor(s): Goldschmidt,Henry Times: .M.W... 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: BTFDA413; |
Total Enrollment Limit: 20 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 3 |   |   |
Seats Available: 1 | GRAD: 0 | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 5 | FR: 5 |
Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
Total Submitted Requests: 3 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 3 |
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