GOVT-382 Dept Sem: International Diasporas

Faculty:

Shain, Yossi

Kinship and Diaspora in World Politics
This colloquium explores the role of kinship, religion, and collective memory in shaping ethno-national identities. It focuses in particular on diaspora communities—those communities whose cohesion is under particular strain due to geographical dispersion and lack of territorial sovereignty, and which therefore constitute powerful test cases for understanding the ways in which ethno-cultural identity operates more broadly in a globalizing world. The Jewish experience will form the central case study in the course, with comparative exploration of other diasporas (Armenian, Greek, etc.). The course will combine historical perspectives (ranging from ancient times to modern) with theoretical approaches drawn form the social sciences.

This course is a colloquium, not a lecture class, and its success depends in large measure upon active participation on the part of the students. Class discussions will focus on a common set of weekly readings.

PLEASE NOTE: The class-participation portion of the grade (see below) is based both upon regular and informed participation in discussions of the weekly assignments, and upon oral presentations. Your comments and opinions DO NOT have to be brilliant; they DO have to be informed by the assigned reading.


Field: IR

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: None

Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:

• 2004-2005 Fall and Spring
• 2005-2006 Fall and Spring
• 2006-2007 Fall and Spring
• 2007-2008 Fall and Spring
• 2008-2009 Fall and Spring
• 2009-2010 Fall and Spring
• 2010-2011 Fall and Spring
• 2012-2013 Fall and Spring

More information
Look for this course in the schedule of classes.

The academic department web site for this program may provide other details about this course.