Please consult the online course catalog for cross-listed courses and full course information.
The courses listed below are provided by Student Information Services (SIS). This listing provides a snapshot of immediately available courses within this department and may not be complete. Course registration information can be found at https://sis.jhu.edu/classes.
Column one has the course number and section. Other columns show the course title, days offered, instructor's name, room number, if the course is cross-referenced with another pogram, and a option to view additional course information in a pop-up window.
Course # (Section)
Title
Day/Times
Instructor
Room
PosTag(s)
Info
AS.100.268 (01)
Jewish and Christian mysticism in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period
The Bible is arguably the most read and yet most misinterpreted book of all time, one of the most influential and yet most misapplied work of literature. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is Scripture to Jews and Christians yet also a rich collection of literature w/ numerous literary genres that has been highly influential on secular Western culture. At its core, it is our most important literary source that (when wed with archaeology) helps us to understand the people and culture of Iron Age Israel and Judah. This is an introductory course surveying of the books of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) giving primary attention to the religious ideas they contain and the ancient contexts in which they were composed. Topics include: The Academic Study of Religion, Ancient Creation Accounts, Ancestral Religion, The Exodus and Moses, Covenant, Tribalism and Monarchy, The Ideology of Kingship, Prophecy, Priestly Sources, Psalms, Wisdom Literature, and Apocalyptic Thought.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Lower Level Undergraduate
Status: Waitlist Only
Seats Available: 0/25
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.100.339 (01)
In the Land of Others: Minorities in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Glazer-Eytan, Yonatan
Gilman 400
HIST-EUROPE
In the Land of Others: Minorities in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean AS.100.339 (01)
This course examines the socio-political, religious and cultural history of ethno-religious minorities in the pre-modern Mediterranean.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Canceled
Seats Available: 17/18
PosTag(s): HIST-EUROPE
AS.130.440 (01)
Elementary Biblical Hebrew
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Estrada, Justin Eugene
Elementary Biblical Hebrew AS.130.440 (01)
Introduction to the grammar, vocabulary, and writing system of biblical Hebrew.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 3/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.191.335 (01)
Arab-Israeli Conflict (IR)
T 4:00PM - 6:30PM
Freedman, Robert
Shaffer 2
INST-IR, INST-CP, ISLM-ISLMST
Arab-Israeli Conflict (IR) AS.191.335 (01)
The course will focus on the origin and development of the Arab-Israeli conflict from its beginnings when Palestine was controlled by the Ottoman Empire, through World War I, The British Mandate over Palestine, and the first Arab-Israeli war (1947-1949). It will then examine the period of the Arab-Israeli wars of 1956, 1967, 1973, and 1982, the Palestinian Intifadas (1987-1993 and 2000-2005); and the development of the Arab-Israeli peace process from its beginnings with the Egyptian-Israeli treaty of 1979, the Oslo I and Oslo II agreements of 1993 and 1995, Israel's peace treaty with Jordan of 1994, the Road Map of 2003; and the periodic peace talks between Israel and Syria. The conflict will be analyzed against the background of great power intervention in the Middle East, the rise of political Islam and the dynamics of Intra-Arab politics, and will consider the impact of the Arab Spring.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 2/35
PosTag(s): INST-IR, INST-CP, ISLM-ISLMST
AS.190.344 (01)
Seminar In Anti-Semitism
M 1:30PM - 3:50PM
Ginsberg, Benjamin
Bloomberg 278
INST-AP
Seminar In Anti-Semitism AS.190.344 (01)
Jews exercise a good deal of power in contemporary America.. They are prominent in a number of key industries, play important roles in the political process, and hold many major national offices. For example, though Jews constitute barely two percent of America’s citizens, about one-third of the nation’s wealthiest 400 individuals are Jewish and more than ten percent of the seats in the U.S. Congress are held by Jews. One recent book declared that, “From the Vatican to the Kremlin, from the White House to Capitol Hill, the world’s movers and shakers view American Jewry as a force to be reckoned with.” Of course, Jews have risen to power in many times and places ranging from the medieval Muslim world and early modern Spain through Germany and the Soviet Union in the 20th century. In nearly every prior instance, though, Jewish power proved to be evanescent. No sooner had the Jews become “a force to be reckoned with” than they found themselves banished to the political ma rgins, forced into exile or worse. Though it may rise to a great height, the power of the Jews seems ultimately to rest on a rather insecure foundation. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies. Course is open to juniors and seniors.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Waitlist Only
Seats Available: 0/15
PosTag(s): INST-AP
AS.130.216 (01)
History of the Jews in Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1917
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Katz, David
Krieger 205
INST-GLOBAL, INST-NWHIST
History of the Jews in Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1917 AS.130.216 (01)
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval, Early-Modern, and Modern Eras.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Lower Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 31/40
PosTag(s): INST-GLOBAL, INST-NWHIST
AS.130.301 (01)
History of Ancient Syria-Palestine
F 2:00PM - 4:30PM
Lauinger, Jacob
Gilman 130G
History of Ancient Syria-Palestine AS.130.301 (01)
A survey of the history of Ancient Syria and Canaan, including Ancient Israel.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 7/15
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.263 (01)
Intermediate Yiddish I
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Lang, Beatrice
Gilman 443
Intermediate Yiddish I AS.210.263 (01)
This course will focus on the Yiddish language as a key to understanding the culture of Yiddish-speaking Jews. Topics in Yiddish literature, cultural history and contemporary culture will be explored through written and aural texts, and these primary sources will be used as a springboard for work on all the language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Prerequisite: AS.210.164 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Lower Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 10/12
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.150.428 (01)
Spinoza’s Theological Political Treatise
Th 10:30AM - 1:00PM
Melamed, Yitzhak Yohanan
Gilman 288
INST-PT
Spinoza’s Theological Political Treatise AS.150.428 (01)
The class is a study of Spinoza’s theological and political thought as developed in his Theological-Political Treatise and the Political Treatise. Among the topics to be discussed are: Spinoza’s Bible criticism, the nature of religion, truth and obedience, God’s right and power, Spinoza’s theory of the State, the case study of the ancient Hebrew State, and the freedom to philosophize. Apart from a close reading of Spinoza’s two works we will also discuss Leo Strauss’ reading of Spinoza, and current work on Political Theology and their indebtness to Spinoza.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/15
PosTag(s): INST-PT
AS.191.315 (01)
The Domestic Politics of Israel
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Dolinsky, Alona Olga
Gilman 413
POLI-CP, INST-CP
The Domestic Politics of Israel AS.191.315 (01)
Israel’s politics and history are complex, involving multiple military conflicts, domestic struggles and dynamic international relationships. This course will focus on Israel’s domestic politics by tracing the story of the development of its party system and the parties the compose it. A parliamentary democracy with a proportional representation electoral system, Israel’s party system includes multiple parties who represent the various segments of Israeli society. What are the origins of this party system and the parties that compose it? What changes have they experienced and what are the factors that influence those changes? Who are the important actors and what might be motivating them? These questions and others will serve as our guide on a journey to a better understanding of Israel’s domestic politics.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 6/18
PosTag(s): POLI-CP, INST-CP
AS.210.163 (01)
Elementary Yiddish I
TTh 9:00AM - 10:15AM
Lang, Beatrice
Gilman 443
Elementary Yiddish I AS.210.163 (01)
Year-long course. Includes the four language skills, reading,writing, listening, and speaking, and introduces students to Yiddish culture through text, song, and film. Emphasis is placed both on the acquisition of Yiddish as a tool for the study of Yiddish literature and Ashkenazic history and culture, and on the active use of the language in oral and written communication. Both semesters must be taken with a passing grade to receive credit. Students wishing to retain credits for Elementary Yiddish I must complete Elementary Yiddish II with a passing grade.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Lower Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 16/17
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.384.315 (01)
Third Year Hebrew
Cohen, Zvi
Third Year Hebrew AS.384.315 (01)
Designed to maximize comprehension and the spoken language through literary and newspaper excerpts providing the student with the language of an educated Israeli. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies. Final day/time will be determined during the first week of classes based on students’ schedules.
Credits: 4.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 10/16
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.384.215 (01)
Second Year Hebrew
Cohen, Zvi
Second Year Hebrew AS.384.215 (01)
Designed to enrich vocabulary and provide intensive grammatical review, and enhance fluency in reading, writing and comprehension. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies. Final day/time will be determined during the first week of classes based on students’ schedules.
Credits: 4.00
Level: Lower Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 11/16
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.211.480 (01)
Religious Themes in Film and Literature
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Stahl, Neta
Gilman 277
GRLL-ENGL
Religious Themes in Film and Literature AS.211.480 (01)
This course would be of interest to anyone who would like to learn about the intersection of religion and modern culture. At the center of the course will stand a close study of the representation of religious themes and their role in modern literature and cinema. The works which we will deal with are not considered religious and yet they include religious themes as part of their narrative, images, language or symbolic meaning. We will trace in various works from various countries and genre, themes such as: divine justice, providence, creation, revelation, the apocalypse, prophecy, sacrifice and religious devotion. We will also study the ways in which Biblical and New Testament stories and figures are represented in these works. The course will have a comparative nature with the aim of learning more about the differences between the literary and cinematic representations.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Waitlist Only
Seats Available: 0/15
PosTag(s): GRLL-ENGL
AS.211.202 (01)
Freshman Seminar: A Thousand Years of Jewish Culture
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Lang, Beatrice
Gilman 443
GRLL-ENGL, INST-GLOBAL
Freshman Seminar: A Thousand Years of Jewish Culture AS.211.202 (01)
This course will introduce students to the history and culture of Ashkanzi Jews through their vernacular, Yiddish, from the settlement of Jews in German-speaking lands in medieval times to the present day. Particular emphasis will be placed on the responses of Yiddish-speaking Jews to the challenges posed by modernity to a traditional society. In addition to studying a wide range of texts—including fiction, poetry, memoir, song, and film—students will learn how to read the Yiddish alphabet, and will prepare a meal of traditional Ashkenazi dishes. No prior knowledge of Yiddish is necessary for this course.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Lower Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/12
PosTag(s): GRLL-ENGL, INST-GLOBAL
AS.211.328 (01)
Berlin Between the Wars: Literature, Art, Music, Film
W 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Spinner, Samuel Jacob
Bloomberg 172
GRLL-ENGL, GRLL-GERM, INST-GLOBAL
Berlin Between the Wars: Literature, Art, Music, Film AS.211.328 (01)
Explore the diverse culture of Berlin during the heyday of modernism. During the Weimar Republic, Berlin became a center for theater, visual arts, film, music, and literature that would have an outsize impact on culture throughout the world and the twentieth century. The thinkers, artists, and writers drawn to interwar Berlin produced a body of work that encapsulates many of the issues of the period: the effect of the modern city on society; “the New Woman”; socialist revolutionary politics; the rise of the Nazis; and economic turmoil. While learning about interwar Berlin's cultural diversity, we will take a special look at works by Jewish writers and artists that engage with the question of ethnic, religious, and national identity in the modern world, specifically in the context of Berlin’s rich Jewish history and the rise of anti-Semitism in the interwar period. All readings will be in translation.
Credits: 3.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Waitlist Only
Seats Available: 0/15
PosTag(s): GRLL-ENGL, GRLL-GERM, INST-GLOBAL
AS.384.115 (01)
First Year Hebrew
MTThF 9:00AM - 9:50AM
Cohen, Zvi
Smokler Center 213
First Year Hebrew AS.384.115 (01)
Designed to provide reading and writing mastery, to provide a foundation in Hebrew grammar and to provide basic conversational skills. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies. Final day/time will be determined during the first week of classes based on students’ schedules.
Credits: 4.00
Level:
Status: Open
Seats Available: 9/16
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.216.373 (02)
War in Israeli Arts and Culture
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Cohen, Zvi, Stahl, Neta
Gilman 479
GRLL-ENGL, INST-GLOBAL, INST-NWHIST
War in Israeli Arts and Culture AS.216.373 (02)
In this course we will study the various representations of what functions as one of Israel’s most unifying and yet dividing forces: war. By analyzing literary and cinematic works as well as visual art and popular culture we will attempt to understand the role of war in shaping Israeli society, culture and politics. Topics such as commemoration and mourning, heroism, dissent and protest, trauma and memory and the changing image of the soldier will stand at the center of the course.
Credits: 4.00
Level: Upper Level Undergraduate
Status: Open
Seats Available: 2/3
PosTag(s): GRLL-ENGL, INST-GLOBAL, INST-NWHIST
AS.216.373 (01)
War in Israeli Arts and Culture
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Stahl, Neta
Gilman 479
GRLL-ENGL, INST-GLOBAL, INST-NWHIST
War in Israeli Arts and Culture AS.216.373 (01)
In this course we will study the various representations of what functions as one of Israel’s most unifying and yet dividing forces: war. By analyzing literary and cinematic works as well as visual art and popular culture we will attempt to understand the role of war in shaping Israeli society, culture and politics. Topics such as commemoration and mourning, heroism, dissent and protest, trauma and memory and the changing image of the soldier will stand at the center of the course.
