THe first part deals with the early Hebrews in Canaan and how exiles aformed sseveral commmunities, especially in Easstern Europe. Then the course focuses on the growth of Zionism, among other options.
The the return to Palestine, the creation of the state of Israel, with its structure. politics, foreign policy, society, the military. The wars and the 1967 occupation nd effects.
Anita SHAPIRA, A History of Israel, 2014.
Atlante Storico del popolo ebraico, Zanichelli, 1995.
Non-attending students are strongly recommended to read carefully the atlas
Learning Objectives
Given the very long history of the Jewish people, of which the state of Israele is just the last chapter and the persistence, throughout its history, of values and characters that, in developing but continuous form, shape the politics of today's state, the main aim of the course is to delineate (briefly) the significant events and forces that are still discernible today. Juxtaposing past and present. Zionism and the state of Israel are not casual events but one developing trend (and there are others). The student is invited to always try and look beyond today's politics at the past's dynamics. This allows to distinguish between politics, that change, and policy, which is basically stable. This method is mainly used in the internal history of Zionism and state as in regard to foreign policy there are strong external factors that often require a different, more tranditional, approach.
Great attention is given to demographics, past, present and even future (25 years max), both in the state and in the diaspora
Prerequisites
general knowledge of contemporary history and Middle East
Teaching Methods
lectures. After a long chronological part (36 hours) I deal with specific topics: institutions and laws, the religious sector, the military, society, demografic changes and perspectives. Students aare encouraged to suggests topics of special interest
Further information
the 48-hour course has a long introductory part, from origins to First World War, to individuate long-term lines and their influence on the state and its policies
Type of Assessment
The exam usually involves two large topics, the first on the period before 1948, the second on the state of Israel (wars, politicians, main developments). The exam is rather dialectic, it requires not the sinple repetition of names and dates but the ability to connect facts, discern analogies and divergences.
Course program
origins, diaspora, persecutions, migrations, emancipation, Zionism. Return to Palestine, birth of state, institutions, policies, wars and peaces, society.