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69491-01 - Seminar: North African Jewish Communities: History, Identity, Memory (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2023 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Daniel Zisenwine (daniel.zisenwine@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course offers a historical overview of the Jewish communities of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia in the modern era. Starting from the early 19th century, these communities experienced periods of rapid change. They, and the societies in which they lived were exposed to European colonialism and its broader impact. This course will highlight the experiences and reactions of North African Jews to these changes, along with the rise of new social, religious, and political currents (particularly nationalism) within them. The course will incorporate new approaches to the study of North African Jewish communities, mainly placing these communities in the broader context of the societies in which they lived. The emerging story of these communities is a highly complex relationship between them and the Muslim majority, offering a rich portrait that remains unknown to many. The course will be divided into three parts: 1. Historic Background: This section will introduce participants to the Maghreb/North Africa region. We will focus on the region’s unique features, and whether it qualifies as a separate “unit of analysis”. There will be five introductory lectures on the these countries, highlighting the Jewish communities, and the colonial experiences within each country. 2. North African Jewish Experiences: This section will focus on the situation of North African Jews in the pre-modern era, including their status as Dhimmis, the transformations they experienced in the colonial era and the impact of new social and political forces such as nationalism. 3. Memory: We will discuss the ways in which “memory work” is carried out after the departure/emigration of North African Jewish communities. What is remembered and how, and what are the interests and motives of those involved in preserving the legacy of North African Jews. We will see and how these issues affect our ability to study the events, raise new questions, and gain new insights. Parts 2 and 3 will include active student participation, in which students will work in small groups. Each group will present and discuss one of the topics (15-20 minute presentation). Each presentation will be based on the mandatory and supplementary reading assignment, along with additional material/sources (please consult with the instructor beforehand). Students interested in writing a seminar paper-please contact the instructor. |
| Bibliography | Will be announced at the beginning of the course. |
| Comments | The maximum of participants is 30 students, with priority given to students of Jewish Studies and Near & Middle Eastern Studies. |
| Course application | Register: Inscription; Withdrawal: required |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 20.09.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 27.09.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 04.10.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 11.10.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 18.10.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 25.10.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 01.11.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 08.11.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 15.11.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 22.11.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 29.11.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 06.12.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 13.12.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Wednesday 20.12.2023 | 12.15-14.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum 0105 |
| Modules |
Electives Bachelor Jewish Studies: Recommendations (Bachelor's degree subject: Jewish Studies) Modul: Antike / monotheistische / aussereuropäische Religionen (Bachelor's degree subject: Study of Religion) Modul: Fortgeschrittene Nahoststudien (Bachelor's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Modul: Geschichte, Literatur, Religion (Master's degree subject: Jewish Studies) Modul: Themen der Near & Middle Eastern Studies (Master's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Modul: Vertiefung Geschichte (Bachelor's degree subject: Jewish Studies) Module: Fields: Knowledge Production and Transfer (Master's degree program: African Studies) Module: Fields: Media and Imagination (Master's degree program: African Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Parts 2 and 3 will include active student participation, in which students will work in small groups. Each group will present and discuss one of the topics (15-20 minute presentation). Each presentation will be based on the mandatory and supplementary reading assignment, along with additional material/sources (please consult with the instructor beforehand). |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nahost-Studien |