History of the State of Israel (NEJS 145a)
Instructor: Alexander Kaye
Course Description
This course is a survey of the political, social and cultural history of the State of Israel. We will examine the background of the establishment of the state, looking at global politics in the early 20th century and the evolution of both Zionism and Palestinian nationalism. We will then explore the history of Israel from many perspectives, including diplomacy, immigration and demography, military history, film, arts and literature, sociology, ethnography, religion and international law. The goal will be to develop an appreciation for the energy and intricacies of life in Israel for all of its diverse population, a deeper understanding of the historical dynamics of the country and the significance the State of Israel has had, and continues to have, for those of different religions living outside its borders.
General Information
Grading
Requirements for the course include:
- Attendance, Preparation and Reading Responses 25%
- Assignments 30%
- Final Paper 35%
A passing grade is required in all of the above categories in order to pass the course.
Class Conduct
Attendance and active participation is expected from all students. Except in the case of officially documented emergencies (such as a medical emergency accompanied by a doctor’s note,) more than two absences will result in a reduced grade. Note that pop quizzes might be issued in-class. There will be no opportunity to make up a grade for a missed quiz, except in the documented case of a valid absence. The same goes for the mid-term which will be given in-class. Failure to take an exam will result in a failing grade for that exam.
The study of history entails grappling with big ideas about human thought, belief, behavior, and practice. Therefore, any course in history is bound to be the site of different opinions. Collegial debate is welcome, but aggressive behavior has no place in our classroom. Please exercise respect for your colleagues.
Readings
Please purchase the following book. Be sure to purchase the correct edition:
Dowty, Alan. Israel/Palestine. Polity, 2017. 4th edition.
Readings will also be taken from Anita Shapira, Israel: A History (UPNE, 2012).
All readings and assignments must be completed before the first class in the week for which they were assigned. (“Readings” may include watching a film or reviewing other material.)
Class sessions will include presentations from the instructor and extensive discussion of the readings. You are expected to attend all scheduled classes and to come prepared for class discussion. This includes completing all required readings prior to the start of class, bringing copies of them with you to class, and thinking about any discussion posted in advance. Our ability to analyze texts critically depends on having our reading materials in front of us. Failure to bring assigned readings to class may have a negative impact on your participation grade.
“Quotation, Thoughts, Question” Reading Responses (“QTQ”)
To encourage your preparation and participation, you are required to submit written reading responses several times during the semester. They should aim to focus your thinking and to help set the agenda for our classroom discussions. With that in mind, your reading responses should take the format of a “quotation, reflection, and question.” In other words, your responses should include the following elements:
- A quotation of no more than a few sentences, taken from one of our assigned readings, which you found to be of particular significance or interest. Be sure to cite the quotation properly, including the name of the source from which it was taken and the page number.
- A personal reflection on the reading. This should typically be about 100 words in length. There is no maximum length. You might reflect on something you found surprising, shocking, enriching, enlightening, or anything else in the reading. You might also reflect on how the reading connects with the rest of the course, something in your personal experience, or any other kind of connection. But whatever you write, it must engage directly and specifically with one or more aspects of the reading. General musings without a strong connection with the reading will not be satisfactory.
- A question that you have about this week’s readings. Your question may address the quotation you selected or the substance of your personal reflection, but it does not have to do so.
The due date for each QTQ will be indicated on the course website so you should check there frequently. Late responses will not be accepted without proper documentation. Responses will be graded on a simple pass/fail basis. The instructor will not generally return comments on QTQs but doing this exercise diligently will have enormous benefits for you in terms of what you learn in this course and how you engage with its material.
Technology policy
Cell phones and other electronic devices are never permitted in class. The evidence increasingly suggests that most students produce better work and receive higher grades when taking notes by hand rather than using a laptop, and that sitting near students using laptops and other electronic devices has a negative effect on your grades even if you are not using such devices yourself. For these reasons, I strongly encourage everyone to leave laptops packed away.
Email is the best way that I have to communicate with you outside of class. Even if email is not your usual mode of communication, please make sure that you check it every day in case I need to get in touch with you. Similarly, please make check Latte frequently so that you are aware of announcements about the course.
Credit Hours
Success in this 4 credit course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.)
Disabilities
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.
Academic Integrity
You are expected to be honest in all of your academic work. Please consult Brandeis University Rights and Responsibilities for all policies and procedures related to academic integrity. Students may be required to submit work to TurnItIn.com software to verify originality. Allegations of alleged academic dishonesty will be forwarded to the Director of Academic Integrity. Sanctions for academic dishonesty can include failing grades and/or suspension from the university. Citation and research assistance can be found at LTS – Library guides.
Detailed Course Overview
The following is a provisional outline of the units of the course. The instructor will be as responsive as possible to the interests of the participating students and, to that end, readings and topics might be changed.
Unit 1. World War I and the Making of the Modern Middle East
1. Wed 28 Aug – Introduction
2. Wed 04 Sep – The End of the Ottoman Empire and the Rise of Middle Eastern States
James L. Gelvin, The Modern Middle East: A History (Oxford University Press, 2016), 189–229.
3. Mon 09 Sep – Jews Encounter Modernity
Engel, David. Zionism. Routledge, 2013. pp. 1-26
4. Wed 11 Sep – Zionism: It’s Varieties and Opponents
Extracts from Arthur Hertzberg, The Zionist Idea: A Historical Analysis and Reader (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1997): Kalischer, Bilu Manifesto, Herzl, Basle Declaration, Ahad Ha’am, Protestrabbiner, Po’ale Tsion.
Unit 2. Jews and Arabs under the British Mandate
5. Mon 16 Sep – Palestinian National Identity
Rashid Khalidi “7. The Formation of Palestinian Identity: The Critical Years, 1917-1923,” in Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness (New York: Columbia University Press, 1997), 145–76.
6. Wed 18 Sep – Zionism and the International Community
Dowty 47-81
The Balfour Declaration
7. Mon 23 Sep – The Yishuv
Selections from The Palestine Poster Project
8. Wed 25 Sep – Jewish-Arab Relations under the British
Jabotinsky, “The Iron Wall”
David Ben-Gurion, “On the Arab Question” (1937)
Unit 3. Holocaust and Partition
9. Wed 02 Oct – Holocaust in Israeli Society
Shapira 78-94
Shlomo Aronson, “The Holocaust and Israel’s Domestic, Foreign and Security Policy”, Israel Studies: An Anthology December 2009.
Unit 4. Independence and Naqba
10. Thu 03 Oct (Brandeis Monday) – The 1948 War
Dowty 85-103
Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel;
Tue 15 Oct (Brandeis Monday) – NO CLASS (SUKKOT)
11. Mon 07 Oct – 1948 War pt. 2
12. Wed 16 Oct – Literary Reactions
S. Yizhar. “The Prisoner”
Ghassan Kanafani “The Land of Sad Oranges”
13. Wed 23 Oct
Class guest: Lobna Agbaria, Our Generation Speaks
Unit 5. Immigration
14. Mon 28 Oct – Mass Immigration
Rozin, Orit. “8. Terms of Abhorrence.” In The Rise of the Individual in 1950s Israel: A Challenge to Collectivism, 139–61. Brandeis University Press, 2011.
Helman, Anat. “Informality, Straightforwardness, and Rudeness.” In Becoming Israeli: National Ideals and Everyday Life in the 1950s, 163–86. BrandeisUniversity Press, 2014
Unit 6. Religion in Israeli Society
15. Wed 30 Oct
Ellenson, David. “ ‘Jewishness’ in Israel:: Israel as a Jewish State.” In Essential Israel, edited by S. Ilan Troen and Rachel Fish, 262–79. Essays for the 21st Century. Indiana University Press, 2017.
16. Mon 04 Nov – Film: Shallah Shabati
Unit 8. The 1967 War and the Rise of the PLO
17. Wed 06 Nov – War
Dowty 108-20
Shapira 307-325
Yitzhak Rabin, “The Right of Israel,” June 28, 1967
18. Mon 11 Nov – A New Palestinian Nationalism
Arafat Interview, August 1969
Film clip: Arafat at the UN
Palestinian National Charter (168)
19. Wed 13 Nov – Israel and American Jews
Guest instructor: Dr. Sivan Zakai
Unit 9. The Peace Process
20. Mon 18 Nov – The 1970s – The Great Turnaround
Shapira 357-377
21. Wed 20 Nov – Oslo
Dowty Chapter 6, “The First Pass at Peace”
22. Mon 25 Nov – Peace Making
Unit 10. Contemporary Israeli Culture
23. Mon 02 Dec – Dance, Art and Literature
Spiegel, Nina S. “Creating National Folk Dance: The Dalia Dance Festivals, 1944 and 1947.” In Embodying Hebrew Culture: Aesthetics, Athletics, and Dance in the Jewish Community of Mandate Palestine, 133–73. Wayne State University Press, 2013. [Read up to p. 162].
Unit 11. Discussion and Conclusion
24. Wed 04 Dec