ATS3599 · Zion: Israel from the Bible to Post-Zionism

Overview

For thousands of years Jews have grappled with the meaning and significance of Israel. What is the biblical promised land? To whom was it promised? Is Israel a religious holy-land or a political homeland? Is it a place, a nation, or a people? Just about every aspect of Israel has been highly contested throughout history. In this unit you will explore the varied contours of Israel — both physical and metaphorical — in the Jewish imagination. From the Hebrew Bible through classical Jewish texts, from medieval poets to modern Zionist, anti-Zionist and post-Zionist thinkers, you will examine the complex relationship between Judaism and the land of Israel. Through a diverse range of written and visual texts, you will gain a deeper understanding of how Israel has been conceived, reconceived, and debated across the centuries.

Areas of study: Jewish studies History

Offerings

The Handbook publishes no offerings for this unit.

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. analyse the changing historical and theological significance of Israel from antiquity to the present and its impact on Jewish identity;
2. compare and evaluate the diverse interpretations and debates surrounding the concept of Israel as a religious, political, and cultural entity;
3. investigate the influence of historical events and movements on the conceptualization of Israel;
4. critically engage with a range of historical, theological, and philosophical texts;
5. communicate complex historical ideas through academic writing.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.