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Introduction to Topics in History (292-0-30)

Topic

Jewish Refugees in the 20th Century

Instructors

Stefan Cristian Ionescu

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 4-410: Mon, Wed 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

History 292: Jewish Refugees in the 20th Century

While migration has been a key feature in the life of Jewish communities throughout the last millennia, the last century - defined by some public intellectuals as "the century of the refugee" (Rabbi Hugo Gryn) - witnessed the displacement of an ever-larger number of Jews as the result of antisemitic persecutions, wars, geocidal policies, or desire to find a national homeland. Despite the relatively small size of their communities on a global scale, the Jews made one of the largest community of refugees in 20th century Europe.
This course will examine the history of the European Jews who became refugees throughout the 20th century, focusing on key moments that represented the peaks of the afflux of refugees, triggered by the rise of modern states and their security and nationalizing policies (borders, citizenship, and demographic engineering), the spread of radical ideologies, the emergence of the Zionist national project, political persecutions, World War I and the collapse of European empires, the antisemitic and genocidal policies of Nazi Germany and its collaborators before and during World War II, and the persecution and violence that took place in communist dictatorships, such as USSR and in its successor states.

Learning Objectives

Learning objectives By completing this course, you are expected to be able to: • Familiarize yourselves with the major concepts and historical events that shaped the history of Jewish refugees in 20th century Europe. • Read critically, understand and critically analyze works of history produced by scholars with different methodological and theoretical approaches to the study of 20th century Jewish refugees' history. • Improve your analytical, writing and communication skills through close readings of texts, class discussions, writing papers. • Learn to recognize historical arguments regarding controversial historical questions and to formulate and support an original historical argument using primary and secondary sources. • Learn how to properly structure a thesis-driven paper, how to apply appropriate methods of citation, and how to use a clear writing style that conveys historical knowledge ideas, and evidence in a mature, readily understood manner.

Evaluation Method

Class discussions; Canvas posts; research paper

Class Notes

Concentration: European

Class Attributes

Historical Studies Foundational Discipline
Historical Studies Distro Area