This course is no longer offered

30302 A Community in Israel: Historical and Genetic Aspects

Credits: 6 advanced credits in Life Sciences

Prerequisites: 36 credits in the Sciences, including General Biology I, General Biology II and one intermediate course in History. Students must also fulfill all English requirements and take bibliographic instruction in the Library.

Recommended: From Mendelism to Genetic Engineering

The course is based on a reader edited by Avinoam Adam and Yaron Tsur.

The population of Israel is one of the most heterogeneous human populations; it is mainly composed of communities, each with its own history and genetic profile. In most cases, important historical data on these groups are lacking, while their genetic characteristics have only been studied in the current generation. Do the knowledge of historians and their hypotheses concerning the history of a particular community correspond to the demographic and genetic characteristics of the community? To what extent can findings and knowledge in one research area teach us about the other?

The course enables students with prerequisite knowledge in both areas to examine such questions through a review of research on the historical and genetic aspects of one of Israel’s communities. (The specific community will be determined based on the student’s interest, but taking into consideration the availability of supervisors who are experts in each field). The course includes guided reading of scientific literature, and the submission of a summary seminar paper.