SIS 150/NEAR E 150 Israel: Dynamic Society and Global Flashpoint

SIS 150 Israel: Dynamic Society and Global Flashpoint Syllabus

SIS 150/NEAR E 150 Israel: Dynamic Society and Global Flashpoint Winter 2008-GWN 301

Course Coordinator: Lecturers: Professor Noam Pianko Professor Gad Barzilai (gbarzil@u.) ([email protected]) Professor Paul Burstein (burstein@u.) Office Hours: Thursday 2:00-3:00pm Professor Joel Migdal (migdal@u.) and by appointment Professor Noam Pianko Office: 218 Thomson Hall Professor Naomi Sokoloff (naosok@u.)

TAs: Mr. Yoav Duman Ms. Hadar Khazzam-Horovitz E-mail: [email protected] E-mail:[email protected] Office Hours: Friday 10:30-11:30am and Office Hours: Wednesday 10:00- by appointment 11:00am and by appointment Office: Suzzalo 101 Office: TBD

SIS 150 has its own web site with important information about the course, links to course readings, and links to a wide array of course related web-sites. Make sure to check the course site before each lecture to learn about any course updates or assignment changes. The URL is: http://courses.washington.edu/sis150/index.shtml

Introduction:

Ever in the news, Israel is a focal point for key global processes that have shaped the 20th and 21st centuries. This course will introduce students to Israel—its people, institutions, social forces, and culture—in the comparative and international context of larger global forces. We aim for the course to fulfill two goals: 1) teach students about key aspects shaping the international arena through the lens of a single country and 2) introduce students in depth to a country that has been a flashpoint in world affairs for the last half century.

The course will start with the hatching of the idea of a national state for Jews in the context of the currents of nationalism in Europe, especially Eastern Europe, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Students will gain an appreciation of important world forces and see how the Jews, who were critical components in the development of European nationalism generally, uniquely developed their own brand of nationalism, Zionism, through revival of the Hebrew language, the creation of a national anthem, the construction of national symbols, the building of political institutions, and more. The course will then focus on the final European imperial efforts to shape the world in the wake of World War I and the clash of nationalist movements that ensued in Palestine/The Land of Israel, as Jews and Arabs claimed exclusive rights to the British-ruled territory. The 1948 War, Israel’s War of Independence and Palestinian Arabs’ Al-Naqba

1 SIS 150 Israel: Dynamic Society and Global Flashpoint Syllabus

(catastrophe), will be situated in the anti-colonial struggles of the period and the new post-World War II nationalist, ethnic, and religious wars that became a central feature of the Cold War period.

In the post-1948 period, students will focus on four elements. First, lectures and readings will delve into Israeli people and culture, giving students a grasp of the complex society that has developed over the last 60 years. From a resource-poor, largely agricultural society, it has been transformed into a high-tech player (recently, the second largest exporter of software in the world after the US). It has generated cultural products, such as literature, science, and films that have received worldwide recognition, including Nobel Prize Laureates (one of the few countries outside Western Europe and North America producing winners of the prize). Second, Israeli politics and society will be highlighted, pointing to socioeconomic and political rifts, interaction of state and religion, government and political parties, the parliament, elections, issues of human rights and the judiciary, military-state relations, and the place of minorities. Third, the course will look at Israel in the region. The Arab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts helped shape not only Israeli society but also the modern Middle East and the larger world beyond and continue to do so in the 21st century. Finally, students will study Israel in a global context. How during the Cold War and subsequently did Israel and its ongoing conflicts become so central to world order and disorder? How have issues such as oil and trade played out?

Requirements for the Course and Assignments:

1. Students are required to read the assignments listed below prior to attending each lecture. Readings are divided between secondary material and primary documents (including texts, music, video clips, etc). The readings are designed to provide a general background that each lecture will build on. You will have the opportunity to raise questions about the readings either during lectures or in weekly discussion sections. Please note: copies of course lecture slides will not be available following lectures. 2. Students are expected to stay abreast of current issues in Israel. You should read headline articles of at least one Israeli paper each day during the quarter (see the course web-site for a full list of media outlets. Possible sources include: www.haaretz.com, www.ynetnewscom, www.jpost.com.). A general familiarity with current events in Israel will be expected on take-home assignments and in- class exams. 3. Students are expected to participate fully in weekly discussion sections. Regular participation in section will help determine your final grade for the class. In addition, there will be several unannounced quizzes and section preparation assignments during the quarter at the start of section. These quizzes are meant to encourage you to review the assigned reading for that week and to think carefully about the material that will be discussed in section. 4. Each student must complete three take-home assignments. Assignments will be handed out on Tuesdays (1/22, 2/5, and 3/4) and will be due at the start of section

on Friday of the same week (1/25, 2/8, and 3/7). The goal of the assignments is to help you synthesize course material and to prepare you for your mid-term and final exams. These assignments will be no longer than two pages (12 point font, double-spaced, one inch-margin). 5. The course will have two in-class exams (February 19th and March 19th). Each exam will include identifications, as well as short and long essay questions. The questions will cover material from lectures, readings, and sections. 6. Late policy for papers and exams: No extensions will be granted unless you provide documentation of serious extenuating circumstances.

Final Grades will be Determined on the following basis:

 Mid-Term Exam (2/19) (25%)  Final Exam (3/19 at 4:30 pm in GWN 301) (40%)  3 Take Home Assignments (Due by: 1/25; 2/8; and 3/7) (20%)  Quizzes in discussion section and Regular participation (15%)

Required Readings

There is one required textbook for this course: Donna Rosenthal, The Israelis: An Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land. This book is available for purchase at the University Bookstore.

There is a required document course packet that is available at Rams Copy Center (4144 University Way NE). Please make sure to bring the reader with you to all lectures and discussion sections.

Students can find the remaining required assignments listed on the syllabus below in two places: 1) All “readings” are available through the on-line course website at https://eres.lib.washington.edu/eres/coursepage.aspx? page=docs&return=courses.aspx&cid=6007 2) The course web-site will have links to additional readings, marked TBD in the syllabus

Plagiarism Policy Plagiarism is defined as the use of creations, ideas or words of publicly available work without formally acknowledging the author or source through appropriate use of quotation marks, references, and the like. Plagiarizing is presenting someone else's work as one's own original work or thought. This constitutes plagiarism whether it is intentional or unintentional. The University of Washington takes plagiarism very seriously. Plagiarism may lead to disciplinary action by the University against the student who submitted the work. Any student who is uncertain whether his or her use of the work of others constitutes plagiarism should consult the course instructor for guidance before formally submitting the course work involved. (Sources: UW Graduate School Style Manual; UW Bothell Catalog; UW Student Conduct Code)

Accommodations Statement If you would like to request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz, 205-543-8924 (voice/TTY). If you have a letter from Disabled Student Services indicating you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the accommodations you might need for the class.

Syllabus:

Introduction Class 1 (1/8): Overview: How and Why the Israeli Experience is Internationally Important

Part I: From the European Idea of Nationalism to the Creation of the State

Class 2 (1/10): The Comparative Roots of Modern Zionism Readings: Amos Elon, The Israelis: Founders and Sons - Reading 1 (pp. 3-80)

Documents: Bialik, “On the Slaughter” (Document Packet) Herzl, “The Jewish State” (Document Packet) Herzl, “Old-New Land” (Document Packet) Achad Ha-am, “Jewish State and the Jewish Problem” (Document Packet) Abraham Isaac Kook, “The Land of Israel” (Document Packet)

Discussion Section 1: Maps and Zionist Ideologies

Class 3 (1/15): The Development of National Hebrew Culture and the Pioneering Ethos Readings: Amos Elon, The Israelis: Founders and Sons - Reading 2 (pp. 82-146) Documents: Max Nordau, “Jewry of Muscle” (Document Packet) Haim Hazaz, “The Sermon” (Document Packet) Abram Shlonsky, “Toil” (Document Packet) “Hatikvah” (http://www.science.co.il/Israel-Anthem.asp)

Class 4 (1/17): The Quest for a Homeland Readings: Amos Elon, The Israelis: Founders and Sons - Reading 3 (pp. 148-221) Documents: The Balfour Declaration, 1917 (Document Packet) Mandate for Palestine, 1922 (Document Packet) Peel Commission Report: Conclusions, 1937 (Document Packet)

British White Paper, 1939 (Document Packet) Jewish Agency for Palestine: Zionist Reaction to the White Paper, 1939 (Document Packet) The Arab Office: The Arab Case for Palestine, 1946 (Document Packet)

Section 2: Debating the Future of Palestine, 1917-1948

Class 5 (1/22): Jewish Holocaust, Zionism, and the War of 1948 Readings: Adam Garfinkle, Politics and Society in Modern Israel, Ch. 3 (pp. 56-94) Review History of the Holocaust at www.holocaustchronicle.org Documents: S. Yizhar, “The Prisoner” (Document Packet) Dan Pagis, “Written in Pencil in the Sealed Freight Car” (Doc Packet) Aharon Megged, “Yad Vashem” (Document Packet) Zelda, “Everyone has a Name” (Document Packet) Yehuda Poliker, “Small Treblinka Station” (Document Packet) Subliminal, “God Almighty When Will It End” Video/Lyrics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVYanQ5r6rw

Part II: Land, People and Culture

Class 6 (1/24): After Independence: The Transition from Mandate to State Readings: Tom Segev, 1949: The First Israelis (pp. 95-116; 296-322) Yael Zerubavel, Recovered Roots (pp. 1-33, 60-70) Documents: Israel Declaration of Independence, 1948 (Document Packet) Law of Return, 1951 (TBD) Giora Josephtal, “The Absorption of Immigrants” (Document Packet) Moshe Dayan. “The Transformation of the Israeli Army” (Doc Packet) Alaska Air and Operation Magic Carpet (http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/company/History/MagicCarpet.asp)

Section 3: Analyzing a Scholarly Article: Yael Zerubavel’s Recovered Roots

Class 7 (1/29): The Ingathering of the Exiles Readings: Donna Rosenthal, The Israelis, pp. 1-4, 97-129 Documents: The Idan Reichel Project, “Bo’i” Lyrics: http://www.hebrewsongs.com/song-boi.htm; Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y66Pay8fRz4 Teapacks, “The Old Central Station” Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_ZTR5_N4Wg

Class 8 (1/31): Immigration, Ethnicity and Gender Readings: Donna Rosenthal, The Israelis, pp. 130-172, 357-369 Hanna Herzog, Gendering Politics: Women in Israel, pp. 79-110

Section 4: The Place of Gender and Sexual Orientation in Israeli Society

Class 9 (2/5): The Six Day War (1967) and its Legacy Readings: Michael Oren, “The Revelations of 1967: New Research on the Six Day War and Its lessons for the Contemporary Middle East” Tom Segev, 1967, pp. 419-436; 455-481 Documents: Naomi Shemer, “Jerusalem of Gold” Lyrics: http://www.jerusalemofgold.co.il/ Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlIJOAZ1pak Yehuda Amichai, “On the Day of Atonement”

Class 10 (2/7): Religion and Religious Communities Israel Readings: Liebman, Charles and Elihu Katz, eds. The Jewishness of Israelis (pp 1- 31) Documents: Status Quo Agreements: June 19, 1947 and April 24,1949 (TBD) Amichai, “Gods Come and Go, Prayers Remain Forever” (Doc Packet) Savyon Liebrecht “Apples from the Desert” (Doc Packet) Brother Daniel Case-Jewish Religion and Israeli Nationality (Doc Packet)

Section 5: Debating the Role of Religion in Israel

Class 11 (2/12): From Kibbutz to Microsoft: Israel’s Economic Transformation and Globalization Readings: Donna Rosenthal, The Israelis, pp. 75-94 Dan Breznitz. Innovation and the State. pp. 41-96 “Israel’s Economic Growth Defies Experts.” The Financial Times November 4, 2007.

Class 12 (2/14): Arab-Palestinian Israelis Readings: Sammy Smooha, “Minority Status in an Ethnic Democracy: The Status of the Arab Minority in Israel,” pp. 389-412. Migdal and Kimmerling. Palestinians: The Making of a People. (pp. 159- 184) Documents:

Anton Shammas, “At Half Mast-Myths, Symbols and the Rituals of the Emerging State” (Document Packet) David Grossman, Sleeping on a Wire, pp. 1-45 (Document Packet)

Section 6: Minorities in Israel

Part III: Politics, Democracy and Human Rights

Class 13 (2/19): Government, Elections, and Judiciary IN-CLASS MID-TERM EXAM (second hour of class) Readings: Adam Garfinkle, Politics and Society in Modern Israel, Chapter 5 (pp. 151-198)

Class 14 (2/21): Judaism, Democracy and the Struggle for Constitutionalism Readings: Martin Edelman, Courts, Politics, and Culture in Israel, pp. 6-30 Alan Arian, The Second Republic, Chapter 5-6 Documents: First Knesset: The Debate on a Constitution (Document Packet) The Third Knesset: The Basic Law on the Knesset (1958) (Doc Packet) The Future Vision of the Palestinian Arabs in Israel (Document Packet) The Gavison-Medan Covenant: Main Points and Principles (Doc Packet)

Section 7: Mock Knesset Exercise (Coalition building)

Class 15 (2/26): Role of the Military in Society and Politics Readings: Donna Rosenthal, The Israelis, pp. 47-74 Baruch Kimmerling, “Patterns of Militarism in Israel,” European Journal of Sociology 34 (1993), 196-223.

Part IV: The Arab-Israel-Palestinian Conflict and its Implications

Class 16 (2/28): Historical and Comparative Roots of the Conflict Readings: Amos Elon, The Israelis, Reading 4 (pp. 222-290) Documents: U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 (Document Packet)

Section 8: Conflicting Historical Narratives

Class 17 (3/4): Occupation and Human Rights: Jewish, Palestinian, and Arab State Perspectives Readings: Yaron Ezrahi, Rubber Bullets, pp. 207-234

Jeffrey Goldberg, Prisoners, pp. 133-162

Class 18 (3/6): The Intifada, Peace Process, and International Reverberations Readings: Adam Garfinkle, Politics and Society in Modern Israel, Chapter 7 (pp. 245-296) Shimon Shamir, Bruce Maddy-Weitzman, eds. The Camp David Summit- What Went Wrong? Pp. 7-29, 60-67, 82-89 Document: The Clinton Parameters (www.peacelobby.org/clinton_parameters.htm) The People’s Voice Peace Initiative (Ayalon-Nusseibeh Plan) (www.biterrerlemons-internatinal.org/docs/ayalon.php) Joint Israeli-Palestinian Declaration, Annapolis, November 28, 2007 Edgar Keret, “Cocked and Locked” (Document Packet)

Section 9: Is Peace Possible? Diplomatic Solutions to the Conflict

Part V: Israel in a Global Context

Class 19 (3/11): Israel, World Jewry, and Nationality in a Global Era Readings: Steven M. Cohen and Jack Wertheimer, “Whatever Happened to the Jewish People” Gabriel Sheffer, Diaspora Politics, At Home Abroad, (pp.219-238) Documents: A.B. Yehoshua, “The Golah: The Neurotic Solution” (Document Packet) Jacob Neusner, “Is American the Promised Land for Jews?” (Doc Packet) Yosef Gorny, “Can the Jews Retain a Collective Identity?” (Doc Packet)

Class 20 (3/13): Lessons from the Israeli Experience

Section 10: Review