FYSP 167 - Who Was a Jew? Boundaries of Identity

4 SS, CD, Wri
First Semester. “Jew” is a far more an ambiguous term than many assume. This course explores cases from antiquity to contemporary times where the boundaries of identity were ambiguous or contested and ways in which inclusion or exclusion was decided over the course of Jewish history. Cases studied include: early followers of Jesus who also considered themselves Jews; crypto-Jews (Marranos) of the Iberian Peninsula and New World who, while outwardly Catholic, preserved Jewish beliefs and practices in secret for generations; Jews of China, India, Africa; Freud; Disraeli; socialists of late Tsarist Russia who adamantly asserted a secular form of Jewishness.

Prerequisites & Notes
Enrollment Limit: 14.
Ms. Magnus

Credits: 4 hours