RLST 093 CM -Religion & Politics in Israel

Institution: Claremont McKenna

Description: Israel defines itself as a Jewish and democratic state. This course will examine how these two contrasting and sometimes competing understandings, the religiously particular and the secularly universal, have helped to shape Israeli history and society. The first unit of the course will survey the historical and religious connections between the people of Israel and the land of Israel, Jewish political theory, and how modern Zionist thinkers appropriated, modified, and rejected these understandings in developing their rationales for the creation of a Jewish state. The second unit will examine how religion influenced some of the founding policies and institutions of the state, including the Status Quo agreement, Law of Return, and the rabbinate. The final unit will examine the connection between religion and politics in contemporary Israel, and explore the complex and sometimes contested ways in which this connection manifests itself in family law, military service, the administration of holy places, the governing of territories and conflict with Palestinians.

For up-to-date information on current course offerings and details, please refer to the Pitzer class schedule on MyCampus2 Portal.