Jews in the Modern World - HIST1030

   
   
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3
 
 
Equivalent: JWST1000
 
 
Fee Band: 1 (more info)
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description


The emancipation of European Jewry over the course of the 18th and 19th centuries brought previously distinct and despised Jewish communities into the heart of non-Jewish European populations. What were Jewish responses to the possibilities of emancipation and the challenges of modernity? And how did non-Jews make sense of a new world in which Jews were now their equals in the eyes of the law? What were the ramifications of emancipation over the course of the 19th century and into the 20th? Traces the emergence of Jews into the modern world and examines the way this story was played out.


Learning Outcomes


By the end of this course, students will have a global understanding of the different ways in which Jews responded to the challenges and possibilities presented by modernity, as well as the ways in which non-Jews dealt with the same issues. They will also have an understanding of the indefinite nature of historical research and the need to read critically. Students who actively participate in and successfully complete the course should:
  • Gain an overall understanding of the different ways in which Jews responded to the challenges and possibilities presented by modernity, as well as the ways in which non-Jews dealt with the same issues
  • Be able to demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes Judaism in the modern world
  • Grasp the relationship between the history of minorities and of majority cultures
  • Gain skills in research, analysis, independent and reflective thinking, and writing
  • Develop an awareness of the indefinite nature of historical research and the need to read critically.

Assessment


  • Short exercise (500 words) - 10%
  • Research essay (1500 words) - 40%
  • Reflective essay (2000 words) - 40%
  • Tutorial participation - 10%