Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
- Organization
- BTK Institute of Historical Studies
- Code
- BA-ERA-IHS-S-11
- Title
- Assimilation and Nationalism: Jews in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union
- Usual semester
- Spring
- ECTS
- 6
- Language
- Learning outcomes
- Course Overview: This course is planned as a broad introduction into the history of Jews in the Russian Empire and its imperial successor, the Soviet Union. The goal of the course is to introduce students to the main concepts such as assimilation, secularization and modernization, antisemitism and pogroms, Zionism and autonomism. The topics are divided into two more or less equal parts, each focusing on key aspects of Jewish history in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.
- Course content
- Learning Goals: By the end of the course students will: be able to outline and describe the main trajectories of Jewish history in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union; apply such concepts as assimilation, secularization and modernization, antisemitism and pogroms, nationalism, Zionism and autonomism; develop analytical skills to critically evaluate the readings as well as present and provide supporting arguments for their point of view. Topics Week 1: Introduction Week 2: “Russia Gathers Her Jews” Week 3: Antisemitism in the Russian Empire Week 4: Jews and Imperial (semi-)Urban Spaces: “Beyond the Pale” Week 5: Jews and the Revolution(s) Week 7: Jews and the Beginnings of the Soviet State Week 8: Birobidzhan Project Week 9: WWII and the Holocaust Week 10: Being Jewish in the Soviet Union Week 11: Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism Week 12: Leaving the USSR
- Assessment method
- Assignments: book review of 800 words; in-class presentation – 15-20 min; final research paper of 2000 words.