Archived Courses

Fall 2020

Minority Rights: The Israeli Balance  (Legal Studies 190)
Roy Peled

This course offers an opportunity to look into the forces behind different kinds of ethnic, racial and national hostilities, to understand their sources and to look at how the law in Israel and the US as well as international law deals with them. We will discuss basic concepts of group rights and minority rights in general and will then present some of the choices made in Israeli policy, politics, and law as to the balance between the various competing right and interests’.

Information, Media and the Public Discourse in Politicized Societies : Israel and the US 
Roy Peled

This course will provoke you to think of current debates on media and free speech through the lens of their impact on political public discourse. It will analyze contemporary dilemmas regarding the regulation of the media, free flow of information and social networks, through 21st century cases in Israel and the US. Topics will include: access to government information, transparency in the media and tech companies, regulation of online media, political funding and advertising and libel.

Introduction to Jewish Mysticism (Jewish Studies/Near Eastern Studies)
Tomer Persico

A course on trends in Jewish religious, cultural, and social life. The course will study innovative and conservative aspects of thought, ritual, and belief in relation to contemporary life and traditional Jewish values in at least one country other than the United States.

Israel’s Security and Foreign Relations (Jewish Studies/History)
Ehud Eiran

The course examines the factors and processes that shaped Israel’s security and foreign relations in the Middle East and the international arena. The course offers a view of both domestic and international variables at play. The course begins with a brief introduction to the ideational and political realities that explain Israel’s institutional make-up, and strategic preferences. It then investigates the relevance of the Israeli case for a broader set of debates in international relations.

Spring 2020

Comparative Constitutional Law: The Case of Israel (Legal Studies 174)
Roy Peled

This course will provide an introduction to constitutional law using Israel as a case study. Topics include: Constitutionalism and judicial review, state neutrality and self-determination, minority rights, state and religion, Human Rights Law, the concept of “defensive democracy” and ban of non-democratic political parties, legal aspects of the fight on terror, freedom of expression, equality and anti-discrimination, social rights, and constitutional limitations on privatization.

Contemporary Judaism in Israel (Jewish Studies 122/Near Eastern Studies 134)
Tomer Persico

This Course shall study the divergent forms of Judaism in Israel Since the 1990’s, apprehending the ideological and social fluctuations each stream has experienced over the last three decades as it parted from its previous formulations, and noting the way every major expression of Judaism in Israel at this time is in the midst of an identity crisis. It will also examine the tense relations between religion and state in Israel, analyzing the clashes and concurrences between different Israeli-Jewish identities and explaining Religious Jewish radicalism on the one hand, and the secular/spiritual “Jewish Renaissance” on the other.

Arts and Culture in Israel (Jewish Studies 121B/Near Eastern Studies 134)
Stephanie Rotem

This course will provide an overview of Israeli art and culture and its place within the international cultural world. We will examine museums, theatre, visual art, popular music, and cinema, as they reflect the multi-cultural and pluralistic Israeli society.

Holocaust Museums in Israel and the World (Jewish Studies 121A/History 100U)
Stephanie Rotem

This course will explore the history, exhibitions, and design of various Holocaust museums around the world, and study their social, cultural and political agendas. This examination will reveal their role and responsibility in Holocaust commemoration and serve as a basis to discuss the ethics and construction of collective memory. We will compare Holocaust institutions and exhibitions from around the world and compare the values that are conveyed within them. We will study theoretical texts that discuss the construction of collective memory and the political forces that manipulate it.

War in the Middle East (Political Science 124B)
Ron Hassner

This class begins with a historical overview of war in the region. The second part of the class introduces theories that complement and elaborate on theories from PS124A: arguments about the relationship between war and resources,religion, authoritarianism, civil military relations, territorial disputes, sovereignty, and power. In the third part of the course, we will explore current policy concerns related to conflict in the region: Nuclear proliferation, terrorism, the civil war in Syria, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, drone warfare, and the U.S. role in the region.

Graduate Courses

Law, Society, and Constitutional Change: The Case of Israel
Amnon Reichman

Fall 2019

Minority Rights in a Nation State: The Israeli Balance (Legal Studies 190)
Roy Peled

In its’ declaration of independence, Israel declared itself as the fulfillment of the national aspirations of the Jewish people, and at the same time committed to maintaining full equality among all its citizens’ regardless of nationality. These potentially contradicting commitments have been at the center of Israeli political and legal discourse ever since. The course will present some of the choices made in Israeli policy, politics, and law as to the balance between the various competing right and interests’. The discussion will cover issues such as how its choices reflect on Israel as a democracy and comparison to different paths taken by other countries in similar circumstances.

Introduction to Jewish Mysticism (Jewish Studies 122/Near Eastern Studies 134)
Tomer Persico

Beyond the esoteric names of the divine and the meditative practices used to draw Its graces lies the inner pulse of Jewish Mysticism. In this course we shall explore the Jewish mystical tradition, from the Bible, through the Second Temple literature, Kabbalah, Hasidism, and up to contemporary developments. Emphasizing mystical techniques, we will examine the practices through which Jews in different times sought direct connection with the divine.

 Tel Aviv: A City from the Sands (Jewish Studies 121A/History 100M)
Stephanie Rotem

This course will follow the history of Tel Aviv, the first Hebrew city, from its birth in 1909 as “a city from the sands,” to its present position as a global metropolis. Tel Aviv, planned as a Garden City, quickly became the center of political and cultural activity in Eretz, Israel. We will study various aspects of the city’s life: architecture, urban planning, culture, politics and the arts. This examination will include the study of photography, art works and exhibitions, poetry and popular songs, performance, theatre, and film

Spring 2019

Comparative Constitutional Law: The Case of Israel
(Legal Studies 174)
Amnon Reichman

This course will provide an introduction to constitutional law using Israel as a case study. Topics include: Constitutionalism and judicial review, state neutrality and self-determination, minority rights, state and religion, Human Rights Law, the concept of “defensive democracy” and ban of non-democratic political parties, legal aspects of the fight on terror, freedom of expression, equality and anti-discrimination, social rights, and constitutional limitations on privatization.

Economic Policy: Israel as a Casey Study
(Economics 196)
Itai Ater

This course introduces contemporary economic policy debates focusing on the Israeli economy. In the first part of the class we will discuss the main policy challenges facing the Israeli Economy in 2019, including the labor productivity, the start-up nation and economic growth. We will go over the economic history of Israel, starting with its foundation in 1948, the economic crisis in 1985 and later the impact of globalization, immigration and the hi-tech industry. In the second part of the course we will focus on microeconomic and social challenges facing the Israeli economy, such as fertility, immigration, discrimination, kibbutzes and competition. The lectures will make use of both economic theory and empirical findings to better understand these policy debates.

Contemporary Judaism in Israel
(Jewish Studies 122) 
Tomer Persico

This Course shall study the divergent forms of Judaism in Israel Since the 1990’s, apprehending the ideological and social fluctuations each stream has experienced over the last three decades as it parted from its previous formulations, and noting the way every major expression of Judaism in Israel at this time is in the midst of an identity crisis. It will also examine the tense relations between religion and state in Israel, analyzing the clashes and concurrences between different Israeli-Jewish identities and explaining Religious Jewish radicalism on the one hand, and the secular/spiritual “Jewish Renaissance” on the other.

Law and Society in Israel: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
(Law 298)
Amnon Reichman

We will follow debates regarding constitutional design (including separation of powers, judicial review and judicial independence), equal protection of rights (of national, ethnic, and religious minorities), gender discrimination, free speech, social and economic rights, state and religion, the use of force and attempts to address political corruption. We will discuss each of these issues in the abstract, surveying the main theoretical frameworks of analysis and evaluation, and then employ the generalized notions to the case of Israel. We will read together closely at least one representative case dealing with each of the above mentioned topics, with the intention that by the end of the course participants will have a usable understanding of the main issues tackled by the Israeli Society, the manner through which they are dealt, and the respective legal and social implications. Emphasis will be placed on the relationship between legal doctrine and social, economic and political factors. The class should therefore be of interest both to those with a specific interest in Israeli constitutional politics, as well as to those seeking an in-depth examination of central issues in constitutional theory.

Fall 2018

War in the Middle East
(Political Science 124B)
Ron Hassner

This class begins with a historical overview of war in the region. The second part of the class introduces theories that complement and elaborate on theories from PS124A: arguments about the relationship between war and resources, religion, authoritarianism, civil military relations, territorial disputes, sovereignty, and power. In the third part of the course, we will explore current policy concerns related to conflict in the region: Nuclear proliferation, terrorism, the civil war in Syria, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, drone warfare, and the U.S. role in the region.

Topics in the Israeli Economy
(Economics 196)
Itai Ater

This course introduces contemporary economic policy debates focusing on the Israeli economy. In the first part of the class we will discuss the main policy challenges facing the Israeli Economy in 2019, including the labor productivity, the start-up nation and economic growth. We will go over the economic history of Israel, starting with its foundation in 1948, the economic crisis in 1985 and later the impact of globalization, immigration and the hi-tech industry. In the second part of the course we will focus on microeconomic and social challenges facing the Israeli economy, such as fertility, immigration, discrimination, kibbutzes and competition. The lectures will make use of both economic theory and empirical findings to better understand these policy debates.

Introduction to Jewish Mysticism
(Jewish Studies 122)
Tomer Persico

This Course shall study the divergent forms of Judaism in Israel Since the 1990’s, apprehending the ideological and social fluctuations each stream has experienced over the last three decades as it parted from its previous formulations, and noting the way every major expression of Judaism in Israel at this time is in the midst of an identity crisis. It will also examine the tense relations between religion and state in Israel, analyzing the clashes and concurrences between different Israeli-Jewish identities and explaining Religious Jewish radicalism on the one hand, and the secular/spiritual “Jewish Renaissance” on the other.

Law and Society in Israel: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
(Law 298) 
Amnon Reichman

We will follow debates regarding constitutional design (including separation of powers, judicial review and judicial independence), equal protection of rights (of national, ethnic, and religious minorities), gender discrimination, free speech, social and economic rights, state and religion, the use of force and attempts to address political corruption. We will discuss each of these issues in the abstract, surveying the main theoretical frameworks of analysis and evaluation, and then employ the generalized notions to the case of Israel. We will read together closely at least one representative case dealing with each of the above mentioned topics, with the intention that by the end of the course participants will have a usable understanding of the main issues tackled by the Israeli Society, the manner through which they are dealt, and the respective legal and social implications. Emphasis will be placed on the relationship between legal doctrine and social, economic and political factors. The class should therefore be of interest both to those with a specific interest in Israeli constitutional politics, as well as to those seeking an in-depth examination of central issues in constitutional theory.

Spring 2018

Comparative Constitutional Law: The Case of Israel (Legal Studies 174)
Prof. Amnon Reichman, University of Haifa Faculty of Law

The Political Economy of Israel (Political Science 149S)
Prof. Michael Shalev, Hebrew University

Political economy analyzes linkages between the economic and political spheres. It asks about the role of the state and politics in the economy; and conversely, how economic interests and power shape politics. The political economy of Israel today is similar to other capitalist democracies in having strong neoliberal or “free market” features. Yet at the same time,  the Israeli state pursues an ambitious and expensive agenda related to territory, demography and national identity. The state also has unusual capacities to shape economic activity through war preparation, occupation, and by attracting resources from abroad such as immigration and foreign aid. The course addresses this and other puzzles posed by the Israeli case. They include the unusual meaning of left and right in Israeli politics, a clash between “hawks” and “doves” that is seemingly all about ideology and identity politics, not “pocketbook issues” and the economy. On these issues Israeli public opinion has a clear preference for equality and the welfare state over unbound capitalism. Yet inequality is high and rising, in part because of government policies. Another seeming paradox is that Israel’s economy performs well, led by a dynamic and entrepreneurial hi-tech sector. Yet despite structural reforms to encourage competition, large sectors are sheltered from competition, and so-called “tycoons” control many of Israel’s largest businesses and enjoy vast personal wealth.

Palestinian Society in Israel: Integration vs. Segregation (Political Science )
Prof. Rami Zeedan, The Open University

This course addresses challenges faced by States with culturally or ethnically heterogeneous populations within their borders, and challenges faced by these minorities within the nation-state. The course adopts a multi-disciplinary approach, thus it will consider the moral, political, and legal responses to these challenges. Issues such as democratic theory, ethnicity, group identity formation, autonomy, self-determination, indigenous rights, minority rights, and non-discrimination will be addressed. This will be done by focusing on the Palestinian society in Israel. The Palestinians society in Israel, which constitutes 20% of Israel’s population, is an ethnic minority within the “Jewish and Democratic State” living since 1948 in cities with ethnically diverse populations but mainly in ethnically homogenous cities, towns and villages. This course introduces students to the study of Palestinians in Israel, by exploring the construction of Palestinian identity under Ottoman, British, and Israeli rule and the crystallization of the Palestinians as a national minority in Israel. In addition, it is meant to introduce some of the complexities in the Palestinian society in Israel in themes such as culture, education, media, economy, and politics.

Comparative Criminal Justice Reform (Legal Studies) 
Prof. Hadar Dancig- Rosenberg, Bar-Ilan University

Modern criminal law has changed its face in the last decades. Plea bargains have become a common practice, pushing aside evidentiary hearings. The adversarial model has been criticized and diluted by the inclusion of the victim as an acknowledged stakeholder in criminal proceedings. The role of the State as the sole authority for responding to crime has also been questioned, emphasizing the interest of the community in resolving conflicts. Concurrently, debate about the emotional effect of crime, and the resulting psychological needs of victims and offenders, has initiated reforms that promote apology and dialogue between victims and offenders. This seminar will introduce current criminal justice reforms, focusing on examples from the Israeli and American criminal justice system. We will examine a variety of punitive and non-punitive justice mechanisms that have proliferated in recent years as social responses for crime, including Pre-Settlement Conferences, Restorative Justice, Community courts, Drug Courts, Diversions and even Social Media as an arena for seeking justice. We will discuss the background for their emergence, explore their characteristics and look into their perils and promises. The students will conduct non-participant observations of various criminal justice processes at the courtroom, comparing between their traits. The seminar will also examine the influence of American criminal justice reforms and the deepening legitimacy crisis of mass incarceration on Israeli criminal justice system, and the ways Israeli criminal justice system embraced, as well as resisted and transformed American reforms in light of the specific history, culture and challenges of the Israeli context.

Trauma in Contemporary Israel (Medical Anthropology)
Prof. Keren Friedman-Peleg, The College of Management – Academic Studies

What happens when Jewish-Israeli mental health experts — psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and psychotherapists — become engaged in shaping the meaning of national belonging within a context of ongoing violent conflict? What happens when the diagnostic categories of trauma and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) become the dominant tools used to shape this meaning? And what happens when clinical questions of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of security-related trauma and PTSD are intersected with socio-political questions of national belonging, class, ethnicity, and inequality?
Relying upon contemporary ethnographic research from the field of medical and psychological anthropology, the course addresses these questions, with two main goals:
1). To explore the effects of the diagnostic categories of trauma and PTSD on the discourse of violence and social suffering in conflict and post-conflict areas around the globe, and how PTSD has come to be a new axis of power between Western and non-Western countries.   
2). Drawing upon ethnographic case studies from “behind the scenes” at leading Jewish-Israeli NGOs, we will examine how a peculiar combination of individual psychopathology and collective markers of Jewish-Israeli identity have affected mental health practices in contemporary Israel. Through a sensitive and nuanced observation of clinical meetings, marketing activities, and professional interventions among diverse “target groups” such as the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers, the Bedouin community in the Negev, or bereaved Druze parents, we will focus on how contested experiences of mental vulnerability and national belonging, as well as new dynamics of power, and new forms of dialogue, are expressed within the mental health field in contemporary Israel.

Jewish Thought: Theological Challenges in Contemporary Judaism (Jewish Studies 122)
Prof. David Kasher, Kevah

Jewish Food Journey: the Old, the New, and Everything In-Between (Jewish Studies 198-001) Facilitated by Anna Manevich
Course #26120 Thur 6:30-8:30 PM, 106 Dwinelle

Jewish identity and food could not be more intertwined as Jewish food plays and has played a formidable role in shaping culture, religion, and even unique geographic identities of Jewish communities.This DeCal will cover topics from Jewish fusion food and delicacies; kashrut food and process based on a local farm; historical glimpses into where Jewish heritage, culture, and food collide; and will feature guest speakers in the bay area food industry with a variety of specialties and interpretations of what Jewish food means. We will explore Jewish food through a multi-faceted lens, incorporating spirituality, religious law, history, and cultural variations of Jewish food within ethnic divisions of Jewish groups once geographically separated during the diaspora. With logistics permitting there will be class field trips and experiential learning through cooking to contribute to an immersive experience of diving into the journey of Jewish food. We will use modern texts to understand the various meanings and interactions of Jewish food with modern day Jews, who can range from secular, religious, or culturally Jewish. Additionally, we will review historical and lawful texts to grasp the development of Jewish food and its influence on society today. By exploring so many facets of Jewish food, we will come to a better understanding of how food can be so intertwined with Jewish religion and culture.

What is Israel?(Jewish Studies 198-002) Facilitated by Adah Forer
Course #26121 Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 PM, 115 Kroeber

Graduate Courses

Israeli Supreme Court (Law)
Prof. Amnon Reichman, University of Haifa Faculty of Law

Interested in learning more about the Israeli constitutional system? This spring, Professor Amnon Reichman will lead a 1-unit 298 reading group which will focus on leading Israeli constitutional cases. Among the topics covered will be questions of state and religion (such as who is a Jew, exemptions from military service to the Haredi community, Shabbat and Kosher laws), the Arab minority in the Jewish state (access to politics, land use, distributive and corrective justice, language rights), gender and sexual orientation, free speech, social and economic rights and the legal debates surrounding the Territories (the application of Israeli constitutional norms, and laws of belligerent occupation). We will also be discussing institutional questions, such as the debate surrounding judicial review, the role of courts and judicial independence in a Jewish Democracy. The group will meet 7 times, for an hour and 40 minutes, to discuss and analyze the leading cases. The evaluation is on credit/no-credit basis.

The Power of Failure: Rethinking Hebrew Literary History (Comp Lit) Intensive Mini-Seminar
Prof. Michael Gluzman, Tel Aviv University

Jewish Law (Law)
Prof. Kenneth Bamberger and Prof. David Kasher

2017-2018 Courses:

Fall 2017

Comparative Politics: Democracies, Dictatorships, and Hybrid Regimes in the Middle-East and North Africa (Political Science 140Z)    Prof. Rami Zeedan, The Open University
Course #46500, Mondays, 2-5 PM, 126 Barr

This course will provide the students with the knowledge about basic concepts in political science – politics, government, state – emphasizing the fundamental division between liberal democracy, illiberal democracy and dictatorship regimes (fascist, theocratic, communist). The course is set on theoretical comparative approach that does not intend to discuss each country individually, but to analyze and interpret the similarities and differences between the political systems in order to better understand the political processes taking place actually, beyond what is stated formally and legally in their constitution. The course deals with the central institutions in any political system: the legislature, executive, judiciary, elections, political parties, interest groups, and examines key concepts such as political culture, political communication, political participation, religion-state relations, relations between the army and the country, to understand the internal dynamics of political systems and research data. The course gives a special attention to the regime in Middle-Eastern countries.

This course maps diversity and inequality in Israel, and their expressions in politics. It covers not only well-known identity conflicts based on religion, ethnicity, and nationality (i.e. Arab versus Jewish citizens), but also economic and political differences based on gender, race and citizenship. Students will be introduced to relevant concepts and theories that aid understanding and place Israel in a broader perspective.

2016-2017 Courses:

Spring 2017

Critical Issues in Israeli Society: A Multidisciplinary Perspective, from the Social Sciences to the Arts (Jewish Studies 39Q)
Prof. Rebecca Golbert, Berkeley Institute Executive Director

This freshman/sophomore seminar will examine critical issues and challenges facing Israeli society – from the political, legal, and international realms to the social, economic, and cultural. It will explore ethnic, racial, and religious diversity but also social and economic inequality, the transition from a government controlled to a market-based economy, and the framework and challenges for democracy and social and constitutional rights.  The course will explore critical issues in Israeli society from both social science perspectives – law, political science, sociology, economics – and from the arts and humanities – drawing on music, visual culture, film, theatre, and literature.  It will culminate with students participating in an arts conference examining critical issues in Israeli society through the lens of the arts.

Political economy analyzes linkages between the economic and political spheres. It asks about the role of the state and politics in the economy; and conversely, how economic interests and power shape politics. The political economy of Israel today is similar to other capitalist democracies in having strong neoliberal or “free market” features. Yet at the same time,  the Israeli state pursues an ambitious and expensive agenda related to territory, demography and national identity. The state also has unusual capacities to shape economic activity through war preparation, occupation, and by attracting resources from abroad such as immigration and foreign aid. The course addresses this and other puzzles posed by the Israeli case. They include the unusual meaning of left and right in Israeli politics, a clash between “hawks” and “doves” that is seemingly all about ideology and identity politics, not “pocketbook issues” and the economy. On these issues Israeli public opinion has a clear preference for equality and the welfare state over unbound capitalism. Yet inequality is high and rising, in part because of government policies. Another seeming paradox is that Israel’s economy performs well, led by a dynamic and entrepreneurial hi-tech sector. Yet despite structural reforms to encourage competition, large sectors are sheltered from competition, and so-called “tycoons” control many of Israel’s largest businesses and enjoy vast personal wealth.

Undergraduate

Junior Seminar: Occupy Wall Street in Comparative Perspective (Political Science 191)
Prof. Michael Shalev, Hebrew University
Course #20728, Tuesdays, 10-12 PM, 202 Barrows

Whereas in the U.S. Occupy Wall Street mobilized primarily tent activists and met with  a mixed public reception, earlier the same year protests of “indignant” youth in Southern Europe and Israel spurred mega-demonstrations and won broad public support. What explains the appearance of rare “encompassing” protests, and why did they occur in some countries and not others during the 2011 protest wave?  Did the participants cross class, cultural and political boundaries more than Americans who supported and participated in Occupy? What political mechanisms and protest practices facilitate diversity of participation in mega-protests? We will draw on the literature on social movements and contentious politics, and will look closely at diverse national cases. 

Economic Policy: Israel as a Case Study (Economics 196)
Prof. Tali Regev, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya 
Course #32799, Wednesdays, 3-6 PM, Evans 60

This course introduces contemporary economic policy debates focusing on examples from the Israeli economy.  The first part of the class will focus on Israel’s macroeconomic development.  We will start with a brief introduction to the economic history of Israel. We will then discuss topics such as growth, the public sector and fiscal policy, inflation and monetary policy, privatization and liberalization.  The second part of the course will focus on the ongoing macro and microeconomic challenges and policy implications for the Israeli economy. We will discuss topics in public finance and labor economics, exploring the regulation of natural resources, the welfare state, fertility, employment, immigration, emigration, and discrimination.

Comparative Constitutional Law: The Case of Israel (Legal Studies 174)
Prof. Tamar Kricheli-Katz, Tel Aviv University
Course #32984, Tuesdays/Thursdays, 8-9:30 AM, Kroeber 155

The course will provide an introduction to the theory and practice of constitutional law. It will use the Israeli constitutional law as an illustration to general concepts, issues and doctrines of constitutional law. The main approach to these issues will be a general social science foundational approach. An emphasis will be put on the law in action and on the possibility of social change.  The main subjects discussed include: human rights law, equality and antidiscrimination, social change and legal change, social rights, constitutionalism and judicial review, minority rights (with a focus on group rights of Arab citizens of Israel and of Women in Israel), state and religion, freedom of expression, equality and antidiscrimination, social rights, and constitutional limitations on privatization.

Graduate

False Consciousness – An Israeli Perspective
(Graduate Seminar in Sociology, JS Designated Emphasis)
Nissim Mizrachi, Tel Aviv University
Course #23584, Monday 10-12:00 PM, 402 Barrows

Drawing on the current Israeli socio-political terrain, especially the persisting gap between the universalistic message of the liberal-left and the social particularity of its adherents and opponents, the seminar offers a theoretical investigation into the relevance of false consciousness as an analytic tool. The Israeli case will provide a window to a broader discussion of the concept. The issues to be explored include: What are the concept’s historiosophical roots? How does false consciousness manifest itself as a building block of critical theory? What groups have been characterized as exhibiting false consciousness, by whom and in what contexts? Our investigation will enable us to delve into core issues of interpretation and understanding in the social sciences and to rethink the interpretive space occupied by contemporary critical sociology.

More courses to be announced.  Email us at berkeley_institute@law.berkeley.edu with any questions!

2015-2016 Courses:

Spring 2016

Israeli Feminism ( Jewish Studies 120)
Israel Institute Professor Hila Shamir

Contemporary Israeli feminists face a set of distinct challenges, ranging from the occupation of Palestinian territories, the ethnic hierarchies between Jewish and Palestinian women and Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jewish women, institutionalized religion that controls marriage and divorce, and the centrality of the male-dominated military service in Israeli society, economy and politics. The course will explore central issues in Israeli feminism, in light of feminist theory, mainly through the lens of law and social movement activism. We will look into the evolution, internal schisms, successes, failures, and compromises of Israeli feminism.  The course will also examine the influence of American feminism on Israeli feminists, and the ways Israeli feminists embraced, as well as resisted and transformed American feminist ideas in light of the specific history and challenges of the Israeli context. This course counts towards Gender and Women’s Studies, Jewish Studies, the International Studies breadth requirement, and the Philosophy and Values breadth requirement.

History of Modern Israel: 1882- Present (History 100M)
Visiting Professor Yuval Ben Bassat

This course will offer an interdisciplinary introduction to the history of the modern state of Israel, beginning with the pre-state origins of Jewish nationalism in the late nineteenth century and concluding in the present.  The class will consider, among other topics, the history of Zionism, the development of modern Hebrew culture, the Jewish-Arab relationships prior to and after the establishment of Israel, religion and ethnicity in Israel, and historical debates in Israeli politics, law, & constitutionalism.  The topics to be discussed are international, political, social, cultural, and legal issues related to the Jewish national movement and to the State of Israel.

Comparative Constitutional Law The Case of Israel (Legal Studies 174)
Israel Institute Visiting Professor/The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Visiting Professor of Israeli Law and Society Ori Aronson

The course will provide an introduction to topics in constitutional theory and to the comparative study of constitutional law, using the case of Israeli constitutionalism as an instructive source for engagement and reflection. Issues to be covered include constitutional design, national identity, separation of powers, judicial review, human rights, rule of law and national security, and state and religion. While all of these arise in any contemporary constitutional democracy, the Israeli experience provides unique perspectives and illustrations, which will be explored critically throughout the course.

Holocaust History, Memory, and Representation (Freshman and Sophomore Seminar, Jewish Studies 39N)
Rebecca Golbert, Executive Director of the Berkeley Institute 

This course explores Jewish life in Europe before, during, and after the Holocaust and the physical and emotional impact of the Holocaust on Jewish community, memory, and identity and on Jewish relations with non-Jewish neighbors.

Journalism & Judaism (Jewish Studies 198 DeCal)
Co-Facilitators: Jackson Block and Mallory Foster, Undergraduate Fellows, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies, Faculty Sponsor: Rebecca Golbert, UC Berkeley

From Ira Glass to Barbara Walters, Judaism affects journalists’ identity and writing styles. In this course, we will examine how journalism manifests in both Jewish culture and in American society, as well as in the world as a whole. Through a number of case studies and guest speakers, students will learn directly from leaders in the industry. In addition, students will gain technical skills in interviewing, design, editing, and writing to enhance their professional and personal development. For the final project, each student will contribute to the publication of the semester’s Berkeley Jewish Journal.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship: The Case of Israel (Undergraduate Business 98/198 DeCal)

Co-Facilitators: Josh Woznica, Jackson Block, Rebecca Moll and Emily Shemian, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies. Faculty Sponsor: Steve Tadelis, Associate Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley

This course explores the various sectors of Israeli economy and looks at different innovations that the country produced — everything from high-tech startups to financial programs that are unique to Israel. The course will consist of case studies and guest speakers including various venture capitalists, innovators, CEO’s, and academics.

Fall 2015

Special Topics in Jewish Studies: A Jewish and Democratic State
Taught by Israel Institute Visiting Professor/The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Visiting Professor of Israeli Law and Society,
Ori Aronson (Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Law)
Tuesdays and Thursdays 8-9:30 am, 174 Barrows (3 Units)

The course will review the central arguments on the meaning, possibility, and legitimacy of a “Jewish and Democratic State,” as Israel is defined in its constitutional documents. We will engage the central debates that have emanated from this constitutional duality, with a focus on their legal incarnations: the design of governing bodies and processes, the status and rights of the Arab minority, the Law of Return and immigration policy, land use and territory, the place of religion in the public sphere, and the future of Israeli constitutional design.

Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies: Governance Feminism
Graduate-level course
Taught by Israel Institute Visiting Professor Hila Shamir (Tel Aviv University Faculty of Law)
Wednesday, 2-5 pm, 602 Barrows (4 Units)

Feminists now walk the halls of power.  By no means all feminists: some forms of feminism disqualify their proponents from inclusion in the power elite.  But you can get a job in the UN, in the World Bank, in the International Criminal Court, in the local prosecutor’s office, and in the child welfare bureaucracy for espousing dominant strands of feminism. This form of feminism – known as Governance Feminism – has been, in some cases, highly successful in changing laws, institutions and practices. What forms of feminism “make sense” to previously entirely male power elites, find their way into legal institutions, and change legal thought and legal operations?  Once feminists gain a foothold in governance, what do they do there and which particular legal forms are they most heavily invested in?  What are the distributive consequences of the partial inclusion of some feminist projects?  Can feminism foster a critique of its own successes?  These are among the primary questions we will address in the course. These are among the primary questions we will address in the course. Case studies will include Israel’s sexual harassment legislation, and its successful anti-trafficking campaign.

The Emergence of the Modern Jerusalem, 1850-1950
Taught by Berkeley Institute Visiting Professor Yuval Ben Bassat (University of Haifa)
Wednesdays, 4-6 PM, 129 Barrows, (4 Units)

To date, the vast majority of research on late Ottoman and Mandatory Palestine tends to focus on the city of Jerusalem. This holy city, which has great religious and symbolic importance to all three monotheistic religions, was the focus of international attention in the 19th century. The course discusses inter-faith relationships in Jerusalem during the late-Ottoman and Mandatory periods as influenced by major political and social developments in the region such as the Ottoman reforms, growing European involvement, the beginning of Zionist activity, WWI, the end of Ottoman rule and the beginning of the British Mandate, the Arab Revolt, World War II, and the establishment of the State of Israel. The course also compares the development of Jerusalem to the situation of other major cities in the Levant at the time, both coastal and inner-land, such as Beirut, Damascus, and Jaffa.

Taught by Berkeley Institute Undergraduate Fellows Nir Maoz, ‘16 and Jackson Block, ‘18;
Faculty of Record: Steve Tadelis, Haas School of Business
Tuesdays, 5-6 PM, Room C250 (1 Unit)

This course explores the various sectors of Israeli economy and looks at different innovations that the country produced – everything from high-tech startups to financial programs that are unique to Israel. The course will consist of case studies and guest speakers, including various venture capitalists, innovators, CEO’s, and academics.

Summer 2016

Political Ecology of Israel and the Middle East (Geography)
Berkeley Institute Visiting Professor Miri Lavi Neeman

2014-2015 Courses:

Fall 2014

Note: Political Ecology of Israel and the Middle East (Geography 170)  has been canceled. We are exploring options to offer it in the future.

History of Modern Israel (History 100M)
Yuval Ben-Bassat, Senior Lecturer of History of the Middle East, University of Haifa
Israel Institute Visiting Fellow

Jewish Nightlife: Poetry, Music and Ritual Performance from Renaissance Italy to Contemporary Israel (MUSIC 74/139)
Francesco Spagnolo,Curator, Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley
Yair Harel, Schusterman Artist-in-Residence, Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley

Spring 2015

Comparative Constitutional Law: The Case of Israel (Legal Studies 174)
Avishai Benish, Lecturer, The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Late Ottoman and Mandatory Jerusalem (History 103F)
Yuval Ben-Bassat, Senior Lecturer of History of the Middle East, University of Haifa
Israel Institute Visiting Fellow

Sociology of Israeli Society (Sociology 179)
Shira Offer, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Bar-Ilan University

Transboundary Water Conflict Resolution: The Israeli-Arab Case (College of Natural Resources, Graduate Program)
Itay Fischhendler, Senior Lecturer of Geography, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Israeli Constitutional Cases Research Group (Law 298)
Ori Aronson, Assistant Professor, Bar-Ilan Faculty of Law

Holocaust History, Memory, and Representation (Jewish Studies 39K)
Rebecca Golbert, Executive Director, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies

Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The Case of Israel (Undergraduate Business 98/198 DeCal)
Co-Facilitators: Nir Maoz and Jackson Block, Undergraduate Fellows, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies.
Faculty Sponsor: Steve Tadelis, Associate Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley

2013-2014 Courses:

Contemporary Israeli Culture (NES 190)
Sharon Aronson-Lehavi, Senior Lecturer of Theatre and Performance Studies, Department of Comparative Literature, Bar Ilan University
Lisa and Douglas Goldman Visiting Israeli Professor, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies

Freshman/Sophomore Seminar: Representations of the Holocaust in Theatre (THEATRE 39D)
Sharon Aronson-Lehavi, Senior Lecturer of Theatre and Performance Studies, Department of Comparative Literature, Bar Ilan University
Lisa and Douglas Goldman Visiting Israeli Professor, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies

Music in Israel (MUSIC 74/139)
Francesco Spagnolo
Curator, Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley

Freshman/Sophomore Seminar: The Paradox of Survival: An Introduction to Modern Jewish Thought (JEWISH STUDIES 39H)
Eli Rosenblatt, Graduate Student in Modern Jewish History, UC Berkeley

Gender and Feminism in Modern Jewish Drama and Literature (COMP LIT 155)
Sharon Aronson-Lehavi, Senior Lecturer of Theatre and Performance Studies, Department of Comparative Literature, Bar Ilan University
Lisa and Douglas Goldman Visiting Israeli Professor, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies

Holy Theatre: Medieval and Modern Paradigms (THEATRE, DANCE AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES 119/COMP LIT 170)
Sharon Aronson-Lehavi, Senior Lecturer of Theatre and Performance Studies, Department of Comparative Literature, Bar Ilan University
Lisa and Douglas Goldman Visiting Israeli Professor, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies

Comparative Constitutional Law: The Case of Israel (LEGAL STUDIES 174)
Amnon Lehavi, Atara Kaufman Professor of Real Estate, Radzyner School of Law, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya
Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Visiting Professor of Israeli Law and Society, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies

Jewish Law (LAW/ JEWISH STUDIES 120)
Kenneth Bamberger, Professor of Law, Berkeley Law
Faculty Director, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies

2012-2013 Courses:

Modern Jewish Thought (Jewish Studies 120)
Leon Wiener Dow, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation Post-Doctoral Lecturer; Post-Doctoral Fellow in Jewish Law, Robbins Collection for Civil and Religious Law, Berkeley Law

History of Zionism (History 100.006)
Yaacov Yadgar, Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund Visiting Israeli Professor

Undergraduate Seminar: Israeli Political Culture (PS 149Y)
Yaacov Yadgar, Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund Visiting Israeli Professor

Jewish Liturgy (Music 179.3)
Francesco Spagnolo, Curator, Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley

Comparative Constitutional Law: Through the Israeli Lens (Legal Studies 190)
Barak Medina, Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Visiting Professor

Israeli Society through Cinema (Jewish Studies 120)
Leon Wiener Dow, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation Post-Doctoral Lecturer; Post-Doctoral Fellow in Jewish Law, Robbins Collection for Civil and Religious Law, Berkeley Law

Religion and Politics in Israel (Political Science 149F)
Yaacov Yadgar, Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund Visiting Israeli Professor

Advanced Seminar: Religion and Politics (Political Science 223)
Yaacov Yadgar, Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund Visiting Israeli Professor

2011-2012 Courses:

History of Israel (History 100.2)
Prof. John Efron, Department of History

The Israeli Experience – Explorations in Psychology of Identity (Psychology 168)
Prof. Nurit Novis-Deutsch, Goldman Visiting Israeli Professor, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israeli Law, Economy and Society

Jewish Collective Identity and Memory (Jewish Studies 39E)
Prof. Nurit Novis-Deutsch, Goldman Visiting Israeli Professor, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israeli Law, Economy and Society

Comparative Constitutional Law: The Case of Israel (Legal Studies 190)
Dr. Daniella Beinisch, Gilbert Foundation Lecturer in Israeli Law and Society

The Music of Israel (Music 190)
Dr. Francesco Spagnolo, Curator, Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life

Psychology of Religion (Psychology 192)
Prof. Nurit Novis-Deutsch, Goldman Visiting Israeli Professor, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israeli Law, Economy and Society

Jewish Law in Comparative Perspective (Law 265.4)
Prof. Kenneth A. Bamberger, School of Law

2010-2011 Courses:

Jewish Law in Comparative Perspective: Comparative Visions of the Legal Enterprise (Law 265.4)
Prof. Kenneth A. Bamberger and David Kasher, School of Law

Democracy, Civil Liberties and National Security: Israel in Comparative Perspective (Legal Studies 190.7/Political Science 123H)
Prof. Menachem Hofnung, Herbert Samuel Professor of Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Inaugural Visiting Professor, Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israeli Law, Economy and Society