JS - Jewish Studies
Courses
JS 108 Religion & Society in West I credit: 3 Hours.
Same as ANTH 108, PHIL 108, and REL 108. See REL 108.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Hist & Phil
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 120 A History of Judaism credit: 3 Hours.
Same as HIST 168 and REL 120. See REL 120.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Advanced Composition
Humanities - Hist & Phil
JS 199 Undergraduate Open Seminar credit: 1 to 5 Hours.
Faculty offer seminars in a range of areas that provide an opportunity for undergraduates to be exposed to key dimensions of Jewish Studies. May be repeated in the same or separate terms to a maximum of 10 hours.
JS 201 History of Antisemitism credit: 3 Hours.
Studies the negative representations of Judaism and Jews from antiquity to the modern world. Topics include: Greco-Roman concepts of the Jewish religion; medieval Christian symbolization of the demonic Jew; Jews and negative attitudes to capitalism; blood purity and blood libel; the rise of racial prejudice in the modern nation state; totalitarianism and genocide; antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Same as REL 212.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Hist & Phil
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 209 Jewish American and US Minority Literatures in Dialogue credit: 3 Hours.
How does Jewish American Literature compare with/influence/be influenced by other U.S. Minority Literatures? What can we say about the similarities and differences between the Jewish American experience and that of many other US minority literatures? What does the dialogue between them sound like? By looking at some examples of Jewish American Literature and comparing and analyzing the dialogue between Jewish American Literature and myriad U.S. Minority literatures this course aims to grapple with these and other questions. We will explore the experiences, conditions, and perspectives of the U.S. Minority literatures we are able to peruse. We will encourage comparison across these different contexts while also preserving the distinctions inherent in each minority group. Same as CWL 209 and ENGL 222.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Lit & Arts
Cultural Studies - US Minority
JS 211 The Arab-Israeli Conflict credit: 3 Hours.
Same as CWL 211 and SAME 211. See CWL 211.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Lit & Arts
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 212 Israeli Cinema and Television credit: 3 Hours.
Examination of Israeli cinema from its documentary beginnings to its internationally award winning feature films. First established as a way to record the developments of the Jewish community in Palestine, after Independence in 1948, it became a way to explore the ideals and values of the new state. Trapped between Eastern and Western cinematic tradition, we will view heroic cinema, new wave, and bourekas films. Through lectures, readings and film screenings this seminar examines the diversity of Israeli society, including religious/secular divisions, the Arab-Israeli Conflict, the Holocaust, gay cinema and the country's ethnic diversity including Palestinian, Russian, and Mizrachi identity. All films are subtitled and no previous knowledge of cinema or Israel is required. Same as CWL 212 and SAME 212.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Lit & Arts
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 220 Jewish Storytelling credit: 3 Hours.
Same as CWL 221, ENGL 223, REL 220, and YDSH 220. See YDSH 220.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Lit & Arts
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 231 Development of Ancient Cities credit: 3 Hours.
Same as CLCV 231. See CLCV 231.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Hist & Phil
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 252 The Holocaust credit: 3 Hours.
Same as HIST 252. See HIST 252.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Hist & Phil
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 261 The Holocaust in Context credit: 3 Hours.
Same as CWL 273, ENGL 269, and GER 261. See GER 261.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Lit & Arts
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 262 Zionism: A Global History credit: 3 Hours.
Same as HIST 262. See HIST 262.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Hist & Phil
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 269 Jewish History Since 1700 credit: 3 Hours.
Same as HIST 269 and REL 269. See HIST 269.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Hist & Phil
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 284 Modern Jewish Literature credit: 3 Hours.
Surveys imaginative literature by Jewish authors from the Enlightenment to the present, including fiction, poetry, drama, and autobiography written in English or translated from other languages. Same as CWL 284, ENGL 284, and REL 284. Prerequisite: Completion of the Composition I requirement.
JS 300 Jewish Chicago credit: 3 Hours.
The history of Jewish Chicago from 1820 to the present will be taught in Chicago during Summer I. The class includes excursions all over the city as well as class time at the Newberry Library. Topics of study include immigration, Jews in the labor movement, Jewish political activism, Jewish religious practice, Jewish art, literature, and Yiddish theater. The course will contextualize our study of Jewish Chicago in terms of American history, urban history, gender history, and labor history.
JS 320 Responses to the Holocaust credit: 3 Hours.
Same as CWL 320, ENGL 359, REL 320, and YDSH 320. See CWL 320.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for:
Humanities - Lit & Arts
Cultural Studies - Western
JS 399 Special Topics credit: 3 Hours.
Faculty offer special topics in their areas of expertise that provide an opportunity for undergraduates to be exposed to some of the most current developments in faculty research. May be repeated in the same or separate term to a maximum of 9 hours.
JS 495 Independent Study credit: 2 to 4 Hours.
Readings in selected fields in consultation with the instructor along with the completion of a specified writing assignment. 2 to 4 undergraduate hours. 2 to 4 graduate hours. May be repeated in the same term to a maximum of 4 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 8 undergraduate hours and 16 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
JS 501 Grad Intro to Jewish Culture credit: 4 Hours.
Interdisciplinary graduate-level introduction to the study of Jewish culture and society. Focuses on the significations of Jewishness in modern history through a wide range of recent writings by historians, anthropologists, philosophers and cultural theorists. Key themes will include the relationship of Judaism to the other monotheistic religions, the varied pathways of Jewish modernization, the construction of Jewish Otherness in Europe and beyond, and responses to the Holocaust and the creation of the state of Israel.
JS 502 Holocaust Genocide Studies credit: 4 Hours.
Interdisciplinary graduate-level introduction to Holocaust, Genocide, and Memory Studies, focusing on the origins and unfolding of genocidal violence and the legacies of genocide in collective memory, literature, and artistic representation. Key themes will include the relationship between perpetrators, victims, and bystanders; the problems of historical comparison; trauma and testimony; violence and representation.
JS 551 Seminar in Jewish Culture credit: 4 Hours.
Analysis of selected topics of special interest in Jewish Studies. May be repeated in the same term to a maximum of 8 hours. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 16 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
JS 552 Seminar Holocaust & Genocide credit: 4 Hours.
Analysis of selected topics of special interest in Holocaust, Genocide, Memory Studies. May be repeated in the same term to a maximum of 8 hours. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 16 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.