BA History and French

The course introduces you to the study of the beliefs and practices of Judaism alongside non-religious Jewish identities, linking it to questions of ethnic and gender identity, tradition, religious communities and remembered history.

· To explore the main historical characteristics of Judaism, including its “religious” dimension, some of its practices and interactions with other cultural traditions· To introduce and critique various ways in which the academic discourse approaches Judaism and other culture

In the lecture the main topics and academic methodologies will be introduced and discussed. The readings relating to each lecture topic are discussed in the seminar of the week. You should prepare the lecture materials (available on Blackboard) and the reading in the days before the seminar. You will have an opportunity to introduce the seminar reading at group meetings, and contribute critically to the of every weekly theme. The reading assignments require regular work outside classes and in advance of the seminars, practicing a number of skills, including close study of assigned texts, note taking, summarizing and excerpting, and the creation of texts in note form. I will guide you through your preparation of the assessed Essay in a number of ways, including a formative exercise for which you will have feedback, formal advice in the lecture, a seminar meeting devoted to this, and documents on Blackboard.

• Distinguish critically key trends and stages in of the historical development of Judaism
• Provide a critical account of ways in which there is unity and diversity within Judaism
• Consider the meaning of key ideas, and the texts and practices in which they function
• Discuss critically how Judaism has related to other cultures
• Identify and evaluate various approaches to the academic idea of “religion”

Students will have:

• developed their ability to provide accurate accounts of information
• enhanced their skill in assessing arguments critically
• developed the skill to assess progress in their own learning
• enhanced their skill in finding, evaluating, summarising technical information

• listening and taking notes in lectures
• time planning
• using internet and physical information resources

• communicate clearly in written and oral forms
• participate appropriately in a learning group
• self-motivation

Draft Essay Introduction

0%

Essay

60%

Exam

40%

 

Feedback method	Formative or Summative
Written feedback on the draft of an introduction	Formative
Written feedback on the Essay	Summative
Additional one-to-one feedback (during the consultation hour, or by making an appointment)	Formative
Written feedback on Exam	Summative

 

• P.S. Alexander, Textual Sources for the Study of Judaism (1984)
• J.R. Baskin and K. Seeskin (eds), The Cambridge Guide to Jewish History, Religion, and Culture (2010)
• D. Cohn-Sherbok, Judaism: History, Belief and Practice (2003)
• N. De Lange, An Introduction to Judaism (2000, 2010²) 
• E. Segal, Introducing Judaism (2009)
• N. Solomon, Judaism: A Very Short Introduction (1996, 2000²)
• A. Unterman, Jews: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (1981)