Spring Term 2022 Courses

ENG 306U Fantasy Literature
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Michael Weingrad
MODE: Face to Face
TIME/DAY(S): M/W 4:00 pm - 5:50 pm
LOCATION: PKM (Parkmill) 201 | CRN: 61143

In this heavy-reading course we will read lesser-known classics of fantasy literature as forms of moral and religious engagement with an often secularized, “disenchanted” world. Reading list includes:

Hope Mirrlees, Lud-in-the-Mist
G. K. Chesterton, The Man Who Was Thursday
C. S. Lewis, Perelandra
Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn
Diana Wynne Jones, Fire and Hemlock

Fulfills University Studies cluster requirement: Examining Popular Culture

JST/HST 311 New Testament 
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Loren Spielman
MODE: Attend Anywhere
TIME/DAY(S):  T/R 10:00 am - 11:50 am
LOCATION: PNT 208 (University Pointe) - NOTE: CLASSROOM CHANGE 3/29/2022
CRN: 64453 / 64431 

Are you curious about the world of the Bible? Consider Professor Loren R. Spielman’s course on the New Testament. Using a deep knowledge of Ancient Judaism and a passion for teaching about ancient texts, Professor Spielman leads students in ten weeks through the contents, contexts and important questions surrounding the New Testament, the second section of the Christian Biblical canon.  Students will learn surprising things about the history of early Christianity, the role of women in the early church and about how some of the tensions in the New Testament reflect the varieties of ancient Christian practice and belief.

WLL 319U Yiddish Folklore and Culture
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Natan Meir
MODE: Attend Anywhere 
TIME/DAY(S): T/R 12:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
LOCATION: KMC (Karl Miller Center) 390
CRN: 64632

The Yiddish language is a fusion of Germanic, Hebraic, and Slavic elements that was the vernacular of Jews in central and eastern Europe for hundreds of years, and continues to be the mother tongue of many Jews today. Over the centuries, a rich folklore developed in Yiddish that includes stories, songs, curses, magic, and religious rituals and objects. In addition to exploring this treasure trove of folk material, we will also examine some essential linguistic and cultural components of Yiddish and several great literary works – including short stories by I. L. Peretz and Isaac Bashevis Singer – that draw on the Yiddish folkloristic tradition. No prior acquaintance with Yiddish or Jewish Studies required.

Qualifies as an advisor-approved upper-division elective for some language majors. Please check with your advisor.

Fulfills University Studies cluster requirement: Interpreting the Past

JST 325U Retelling the Bible 
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Loren Spielman 
MODE: Attend Anywhere
DAY(S)/TIME(S): T/R 2:00 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
LOCATION: PNT (University Pointe) 207
CRN: 61646

Do you remember reading in the Bible about the time that Abraham smashed the idols in his father’s temple? Or when the angels cheered as Pharaoh’s army drowned in the Sea of Reeds? What about when Satan suggested to God that he ask Abraham to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice? Well… none of these things are actually in the Bible. But they are all stories that will be discussed in Professor Spielman’s class Retelling the Bible ­— a course which looks at the ways that ancient texts interpreted or retold some of the most popular stories from the Bible. Although none of these texts — like the Dead Sea Scrolls or other apocryphal or “hidden” writings — made their way into the official canon, the themes that they develop reverberate throughout history. Students are often surprised to learn how much of what they know about Biblical characters has been shaped by texts and traditions from outside the Biblical canon.

Fulfills University Studies cluster requirements: Interpreting the Past
 

JST 333U Israeli Culture and Society - CANCELLED
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Nina Spiegel
MODE: Remote Synchronous
TIME/DAY(S): M/W/F 10:15 am - 11:20am
CRN: 64451

Israelis are often stereotyped as brash, innovative, loud, audacious… and also in-your-face and just plain rude. But what lies behind the stereotype? What characterizes the culture and society of the only majority-Jewish society in the world, a society that is also incredibly ethnically, religiously, and socially diverse? In this course we’ll investigate how an Israeli national culture was created, and explore its role in shaping contemporary Israeli society. We’ll examine the forces that influence and challenge an Israeli national identity, and listen to competing voices in the cultural arena. Our topics will include myth and memory, public and state events, music and dance, theater and architecture.

The course will meet synchronously on zoom on Wednesdays and Fridays and there will be additional instructional asynchronous components (such as film viewing) available on Canvas.

University Studies cluster: Examining Popular Culture

JST 335U Sex Love and Gender in Israel - CANCELLED
Instructor: Nina Spiegel
Mode: Remote Synchronous
Day(s) and Time(s): M/W/F 12:45pm - 1:50pm
CRN: 64452

This course examines intersections of gender and nationalism; the role of masculinity in Israeli society; conceptions of femininity, sex, love, beauty, work, and motherhood; and the impact of gender on the Arab-Israeli conflict. In exploring these themes, we will investigate the history and experiences of a diverse array of women in Israel, including Jewish women of European, Middle Eastern, North African, and Ethiopian descent; Christian and Muslim Israeli Arab and Palestinian women; and foreign workers from locations such as Thailand and the Philippines. Topics include the relationship between gender and religion, culture, ethnicity, and politics. 

The course will meet synchronously on zoom on Wednesdays and Fridays and there will be additional instructional asynchronous components (such as film viewing) available on Canvas.

No prerequisites are required. 

Note: This course can serve as an elective for the major in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS), and is also on the advisor-approved list for International Studies’ Middle East regional focus.

University Studies cluster: Gender and Sexualities Studies