SOC4319

This course will explore the topic of antisemitism, its history and cultural logic, and the relation to other forms of exclusion tied to race, religion, and citizenship in modern times. Starting with the history of Jewish emancipation in Europe and the subsequent debates about the “Jewish Question,” students will learn to identify the key features of political antisemitism and the ways that antisemitism has been explained by different social theories, including Marxism, Functionalism, and Critical theory. The course will examine the differences and continuities between older theological forms of anti-Judaism and modern antisemitism, the connections between antisemitism, nativism, and xenophobia in the US and globally, and engage with current debates regarding the correlation between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. We will also explore Jewish social, political, and ideological responses to antisemitism in Europe and the US, from the Holocaust to the present.

Pre-reqs: sophomore or above; Soc 3701 recommended; soc majors/minors must register A-F

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