| Description: | This course is a study of the role of Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the history and politics of the Middle East. The course will address critical issues in the Middle East such as land, water, language, community, and sacred sites from multiple perspectives including a cross section of resident populations (Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs, recent immigrant populations and Palestinians) as well as key interested "outsiders" (USA, Arab League, etc.). Starting from the consequences of the fall of the Ottoman Empire - which can dramatically improve the understanding of events today - the course will cover the main events of the area, addressing critical issues such as the formation of cultural and religious identities, the role of political ideologies, and the logistics of land partition. Through the analysis of documents, political plans, religious manifestos, maps and statistical data, students will better their understanding of the relationship between systems of beliefs, political interests, and cultural norms. |