Jews in Poland, Ukraine, and Russia (348-2-20)
Topic
1917-1991
Instructors
Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern
847/467-3399
Harris Hall - Room 317
YPS is the Crown Family Professor of Jewish Studies in History Department. He authored and edited ten books and taught at different universities including Harvard University, Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, University of Warsaw, and Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
Meeting Info
Harris Hall L06: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
The 1917 February revolution emancipated Jews of the Russian Empire; in 1991, the collapse of communism triggered mass emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union. Based on multi-media power-point presentations, this lecture course illuminates the encounter of Jews as a national minority with the communist state in general and leftist ideology in particular. It explores Jewish responses to communism using archival photos and Soviet propaganda posters, Jewish film, music and art, Yiddish literature and folklore, secret KGB and the USSR communist party documents. The course seeks to answer a number of pertinent questions: Who were Jews living in the USSR between 1917 and 1991? Why were they so remarkably visible among the ruling and elite under Stalin and why did Stalin make them targets of his xenophobic campaign? Why did the communist regime suppress the memorization of the Holocaust in the USSR? Ultimately, what made Russians call the Soviet citizens of Jewish origin "Jews" and what makes Americans call former Soviet Jews "Russians"? How about "Ukrainian' Jews? The course integrates the Soviet Jews into the transformation of the Soviet empire and questions the role of Jews in this process. Explore the political, social, religious, cultural, literary, and artistic aspects of the interaction of the East European Jews with communism.
Learning Objectives
To introduce students to various forms of the communist experiment in the USSR and its global ramifications, to question the stereotypes of Jews as the "fifth column" in the USSR and Jews as the "staunch communists,"", to explore forms of Jewish integration into USSR history and culture, and to contextualize forms of assimilation and dissimilation of an ethnic minority such as Jews within the Soviet Empire context.
Evaluation Method
two response papers, active class participation, final take-home research paper
Class Materials (Required)
All the assigned readings will be uploaded on Canvas
Class Notes
Concentration: European, Asia/Middle East
Class Attributes
Historical Studies Distro Area
SDG Reduced Inequality
SDG Peace & Justice