Note: This course is a repeat of the one offered in fall -- if you took it in fall do not enroll for the spring quarter.
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, antisemitism is sometimes called “the oldest hatred” and spans nearly two thousand years. New versions are continually invented, including in our times. In 2021 the American Jewish Committee reported that a quarter of American Jews were targets of antisemitism and nearly half changed their identifying behavior out of fear. Four in ten Americans have witnessed antisemitism. 82% of American Jews said antisemitism had risen over the last five years, while only 44% of the general public believed that to be the case. What is going on?
In Antisemitism Revisited, students will learn how anti-Judaism and antisemitism have shaped Jewish experience, intersected with white nationalism, and united diverse Jewish people from Europe, Russia, Central Asia, Africa, South America, and the United States. We’ll also consider the difference between critiques of the Israeli government and discrimination against Jews. Students will leave the class equipped with new knowledge and understanding about antisemitism and related topics.