Introductory Topics in Jewish Studies (290-0-1)

Topic

Jews and Gender in Modernity

Instructors

Gil Engelstein
Crowe Hall 5-163
Office Hours: Directly following class.
Gil Engelstein is a historian of queer culture, politics, and commercialism in postwar Europe. After earning his PhD in History from Northwestern University in 2022, he held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, University of Michigan. His work has appeared in Gender & History, the Journal of Modern Jewish Studies, and Contemporary British History, among others.

Meeting Info

University Hall 412: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

The 19th and 20th centuries witnessed a profound transformation of Jewish life in almost every facet. What changes when we look at modern Jewish history through the lenses of gender and sexuality? This course explores the major themes in Jewish history of the Modern era - emancipation, assimilation, and modernization itself - with a focus on the impact of ideas and experiences of gender and sexuality. We will follow the changing relationships of Jews to the societies of which they formed an integral part, with a focus on the European and Ottoman empires, the nation states that came to replace them, and the United States. Throughout this historical progression, the class will showcase how ideas about normative masculinity and femininity defined how Jews experienced and made sense of the historical forces they faced: secularization and religious revival, acculturation, immigration, racism, and nationalism.

Registration Requirements

None.

Learning Objectives

Identify and analyze key themes in modern Jewish history, using gender as a useful category of historical analysis. Compare Jewish experiences of modernity across European, Ottoman, and American contexts. Examine and interpret primary sources and historical scholarship through close and comparative reading. Develop writing, collaboration, and interpersonal communication skills.

Evaluation Method

25% Participation & Classroom Engagement
25% Short writing assignments
50% Final project

Class Materials (Required)

Materials will be provided by instructor.

Class Attributes

Historical Studies Foundational Discipline