Introductory Topics in Middle East and North African Studies (290-4-2)
Topic
Jerusalem: History, Memory, Fantasy
Instructors
Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern
847/467-3399
Harris Hall - Room 317
Meeting Info
University Hall 121: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
Jerusalem: History, Memory, Fantasy
This course appeals to students interested in broadening their vision of Jerusalem, the city deemed holy by the three Abrahamic religions. They will deepen their knowledge of the contested narratives of Jews, Christians, and Muslims centered in Jerusalem and the "land called holy" and contextualize the role of Jerusalem in shaping broad political, religious, and cultural myths. Using the methodological principle of "history and memory," this course will explore the foundational texts that have shaped and continue to shape conflicting narratives of Jerusalem. Students will embark on a journey from the archaeological digs in the 10th-7th centuries BCE through the destruction of the first Solomon Temple and Jerusalem, through the Hasmonaean rebellion in 164 BCE, and Jerusalem's acquiring of a primordial place in classical Judaic and early Christian tradition in the 1st century CE. We will explore the city's transformation as the center of the Temple-based cult into the key holy locus in Jewish and Christian memory. We will focus on the earliest attempts of rising Islam to establish itself in the Judeo-Christian environment of the holy city of Jerusalem and explore the Muslim nomenclature for Jerusalem, Muslim construction on the Temple Mount, and the Arab reaction to the crusades and crusaders.
We will focus on the expansion of Jerusalem in the pre-independence era and the rise of the military conflict of Jordan versus the State of Israel around the post-colonial city following the termination of the British mandate, the ramifications of Six Day War for the area, the rise of the PLO, and the emergence of Jerusalem as the national capital in the second half of the 20th century. We will discuss how Jews, Christians, and Muslims negotiate sacred spaces in real life and in political charters, how and why Jerusalem became divided and what the plans of various parties are regarding the future status of Jerusalem.
Learning Objectives
1. This course offers a robust narrative on Jerusalem through three millennia. Students will familiarize with the socio-cultural history of the city in various contexts, from Hellenistic and Roman through British and post-colonial, emphasizing the multiplicity of cultural influences, ethnic constituencies, and historical memories, real and fictitious.
2. Students will master the methodology of "history and memory" using it as an analytical tool with a focus on the socio-cultural imaginary ("fantasy").
3. This course teaches how in respectful and responsible manner to discuss highly charged national and religious foundational myths related to three Abrahamic religions and how to handle a debate based off ethno-centric agendas utilizing historical contextualization, documentary analysis, and questioning the established narratives.
Evaluation Method
Weekly journal 0.5-page entries: students' reactions to secondary sources, two 2-page response papers based on the analysis of the primary sources from the course list, and a take-home final 10-page paper (plus separately counted title page and bibliography). All written work 12-point font, 1.5 space, .doc or .docx only.
Class Notes
Concentration: Asia/Middle East
Class Attributes
Historical Studies Foundational Discipline
Historical Studies Distro Area
Associated Classes
DIS - Locy Hall 303: Fri 1:00PM - 1:50PM
DIS - Locy Hall 213: Fri 2:00PM - 2:50PM
DIS - Harris Hall L04: Fri 4:00PM - 4:50PM