Prof. Jonathan Webber P
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The Jewish Heritage of Polish Galicia Course Code: MK_25 Language of Instruction: English Course tutors: Prof. Jonathan Webber Prof. Webber is a British social anthropologist with special expertise on European Judaism and European Jews. He taught for eighteen years at the University of Oxford, and then for eight years was the UNESCO Chair in Jewish and Interfaith Studies at the University of Birmingham (UK) before moving in 2011 to take up a professorship at the Institute of European Studies of the Jagiellonian University. Since 1988 Prof. Webber has been researching and documenting the rich history of Polish– Jewish relations and the cultural heritage of Polish Jews. He is chairman of the Galicia Jewish Museum in Kazimierz and a member of the International Auschwitz Council advising, promoting and aiding the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in its various activities. He is author of Rediscovering Traces of Memory: The Jewish Heritage of Polish Galicia (Indiana University Press, 2009). Prof. Webber has been awarded the Gold Cross of Poland's Order of Merit for services to Polish–Jewish dialogue. Description This is an introductory course. Its main purpose is to present students with the opportunity to assess alternative ways of approaching and describing the realities and representations of the post-Holocaust legacy of the Jewish presence in Poland––through an appreciation of Jewish religious and cultural achievements over many centuries (and how these are displayed in museums or otherwise treated as ‘Jewish heritage’), through an understanding of the Holocaust as it unfolded in the region (and how it is commemorated, for example through monuments), and through a general examination of contemporary memory processes at work, by both Jews and non-Jews. The focus will be on the area of former Galicia in southern Poland, and the course will include three study visits––to three local synagogues, two local Jewish museums, and to one local Jewish cemetery. Type of course Additional/elective course for students following Central Eastern European Studies, Europeanization and Government in Central and Eastern Europe and EU specialization. MA level. Year of Studies: 1 or 2 Number of ECTS points 4.5 Prerequisites None Intended Learning Outcomes By the end of the course students should: 1. have extended their knowledge about the Jewish contribution to the European cultural heritage and contemporary cultural life in Europe, as well as the functioning of the most important institutions in this field (K_W17.1+++); 2. have the ability to search, gather and interpret data and information based on relevant sources, and have the ability to evaluate the importance of sources (K_U01++); 3. be capable of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas (K_U05++); and 4. have the ability to effectively work individually as well as interact and work in a group, performing different roles in it (K_K02+++). Course communication [email protected] or [email protected] Notices and announcements Via USOS and the CES office and online calendar. COURSE ORGANISATION Spring Semester Time and Place: will be posted by CES in the online calendar Course type: lectures and study trips Contact hours: 30h Breakdown of ECTS credits Participation in the classes: 30 hours Independent study of the topics of the lectures: 30 hours Preparation of the oral presentation: 16 hours Preparation of the written essay: 36,5 hours Total: 112,5 hours ECTS: 4,5 Didactic methods used lectures, leading classroom discussions, analysing photos of relevant places, three study trips, one student seminar Mode and criteria of assessment of learning outcomes K_W17.1 – oral presentation, written essay, and participation in the student seminar K_U01 – oral presentation, written essay, and participation in the student seminar K_U05 – oral presentation, written essay, and participation in the student seminar K_K01 – oral presentation, written essay, and participation in the student seminar Assessment Note: (a) To qualify for assessment, attendance at the classes and study visits is obligatory. Students missing three or more lectures (or more than one double session or study visit) will need to meet with the course tutor with a clear proposal how they intend to make up for the missing classes. Missing 50% or more of the classes will result in failure of the course and the need to retake it the following year. (b) However, students who have completed the course tutor’s ‘Introduction to European Jewish Religion, Culture, and Society’ course are exempt from attending sessions 1, 2, and 3. (c) Prior confirmation with the course tutor of a student’s intention to make an oral presentation at the student seminar in session 12 of the course, together with a provisional topic, will be required by session 9. Assessment consists of two parts: (1) End-of-course oral presentation at the student seminar in session 12 (valued at 30% of the final grade for the assessment): students, either on their own or in a ‘group presentation’ of two people, should speak on a relevant topic of their choice for approx. 10–15 minutes, depending on the number of students in the course. A ‘relevant topic’ for this purpose means something focused on some aspect of the Jewish heritage of Polish Galicia, although reference to wider issues of heritage or Jewish heritage generally is of course welcome. Marks will be based on three equally-ranked criteria: content (research, knowledge, and understanding of the chosen topic), quality of argument and style (i.e. communication skills), and participation in the end-of-course seminar discussion. (2) Written essay, prepared at home (valued at 70% of the final grade for the assessment): “Imagine that you are the curator of a small new photographic exhibition in a local school in southern Poland on the subject of the contemporary Jewish heritage in Poland (not necessarily the Jewish heritage of the actual locality). Choose four present-day (not historical) photos taken at different Jewish heritage sites of your choice in or relating to somewhere in Polish Galicia––they may be photos that have already been published (for example, in Rediscovering Traces of Memory or in the press), or they may be photos of your own or of a friend. You may include Holocaust sites if you wish, but if so they should not be more than two out of your four photos. You should write (a) captions (minimum 200 words, maximum 250 words each) for each of these photos; and (b) an essay of 3,000 words briefly introducing your choice of photos but concentrating on explaining your thinking and philosophy underlying the texts of your four captions (with reference to relevant literature as appropriate), and in particular explaining alternative ideas for caption texts that you have considered but rejected. Sources (and a bibliography) should be routinely provided as in any academic paper: the sources of your photos as well as bibliographic references for all factual material cited in your essay. Please note that a ‘present-day’ photo means a photo taken at any time since 1989; proposals of historical photos (defined for this purpose as pre-war photos) will not be considered for assessment.” COURSE STRUCTURE No. Title of the session Format Seminars ‘Introduction: Who are the Jews? A very Lecture, discussion 1. brief introduction to Jewish religion and culture relevant to the study of Jewish heritage’ (Part I) ‘Introduction: Who are the Jews? A very Lecture, discussion 2. brief introduction to Jewish religion and culture relevant to the study of Jewish heritage’ (Part II) Study visit to four synagogues in Kazimierz, Study visit 3. Kraków 4. Exhibiting Jewish religion and culture in a Lecture, discussion museum: (Part I) Exhibiting Jewish religion and culture in a Lecture, discussion 5. museum: (Part II) Study visit to two Jewish museums in Study visit 6. Kazimierz, Kraków Rediscovering the traces of memory of the Lecture, discussion 7. Jewish heritage of Polish Galicia’ (Part I) 8. Rediscovering the traces of memory of the Lecture, discussion Jewish heritage of Polish Galicia’ (Part II) 9. How is the Jewish past being remembered in Lecture, discussion Poland? (Part I) 10. How is the Jewish past being remembered in Lecture, discussion Poland? (Part II) 11. Study visit to the Miodowa Street cemetery Study visit in Kazimierz 12. Student seminar and discussion Seminar DETAILED COURSE STRUCTURE Session no. 1 & 2 ‘Introduction: Who are the Jews? A very brief introduction to Jewish religion and culture relevant to the study of Jewish heritage’ (Part I & II). Format Lecture, Discussion Aim of the session, main issues discussed A very brief introduction to Jewish religion and culture relevant to the study of Jewish heritage’. Key readings for the session *Jonathan Webber, Rediscovering Traces of Memory: The Jewish Heritage of Polish Galicia (Oxford: Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, for the Galicia Jewish Museum, Kraków, 2009). * This is a key text-book for the whole course. Questions for class discussion (based on readings) Additional/further readings De Lange, Nicholas, An Introduction to Judaism (Cambridge University Press, 2000). Dosick, Wayne, Living Judaism: The Complete Guide to Jewish Belief, Tradition, and Practice (Harper, 1995). Neusner, Jacob, An Introduction to Judaism (John Knox, 1991). Solomon, Norman, Judaism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 1996). Unterman, Alan, Jews: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (Sussex Academic Press 1981, 1996). Wouk, Herman, This is my God: The Jewish Way of Life (1959 and later editions). Session no. 3 Study visit to four synagogues in Kazimierz, Kraków. Format 3h Study visit Aim of the session, main issues discussed The study trip will encompass the Rema in Szeroka Street, the Kupa and the Tempel in Miodowa Street, and (time permitting) the Izaaka in Kupa Street. The emphasis in this study visit will be on the nature of a synagogue (including its ritual features and its architecture), comparisons between the synagogues, and the differences between Orthodoxy and Progressive Judaism in the modern world (lectures at each place, with questions and discussion as appropriate).