14206 Multiculturalism in Israel

Credits: 3 graduate credits in Cultural Studies

Prerequisite: Admission to the graduate program in Cultural Studies

The course is based on a reader edited by Nurith Gertz and Adia Mendelson-Maoz.

The course introduces the concept of multiculturalism in its Israeli context. It presents two schools of multiculturalism: moderate-pluralistic multiculturalism and radical post-national multiculturalism, and describes the tension between the commitment to solidarity and the growing trend toward cultural autonomy among various groups and sectors in Israel.

Three areas of intercultural tension are studied: the national, the ethnic, and the religious. In addition, the intersection between gender and multiculturalism is discussed.

Topics: Introduction; Liberal multiculturalism; Multiculturalism and post-nationalism; Pluralistic multiculturalism; Israeli culture: the mainstream; Groups and sectors in Israeli society; The national arena: Jews and Arabs; The ethnic arena (Israeli-born and immigrants): Ashkenazis and Mizrachis, immigrants from the former Soviet Union and immigrants from Ethiopia; The religious arena: secular and religious Jews; Gender and multiculturalism.