History 120 - Jewishness beyond Religion:Defining Secular Jewish Culture

Institution:

Bard College

Subject:

Description:

In the premodern world, Jewish identity was centered on religion but was expressed as well in how one made a living, what clothes one wore, and what language one spoke. In modern times, Jewish culture became more voluntary and more fractured. While some focused on Judaism only as a religion, the most radical and the most typical way in which Jewishness was redefined was in secular terms. This course explores the intellectual, social, and political movements that led to new secular definitions of Jewish culture and identity in the modern period. Examples are drawn fromWestern and Eastern Europe, as well as from American and Israeli societies. Topics include the Haskalah (Jewish enlightenment); acculturation and assimilation; modern Jewish politics, including Zionism; and Jewish literature in Hebrew, Yiddish, and European languages.

Credits:

4.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.bard.edu

Phone Number:

(845) 758-6822

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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