In this era of disinformation, polarizing platitudes and rampant opinion, and it’s more important than ever to come to the table with accurate information. The College of Letters and Science encourages consideration of these dialogue-elevating courses for students seeking to broaden their understanding of world events: 

Winter Quarter 2024

History 142A—History of the Holocaust 
Topics include comparative genocide, medieval and modern antisemitism, modern German history, the rise of Nazism, Jewish life in Europe before the Nazi period, and the fate of the Jewish communities and other persecuted groups in Europe from 1933-1945. Learn more

Human Rights 131—Genocide
Comparative and critical study of the modern phenomenon of genocide from religious, ethical and historical perspectives. Learn more

Political Science 135—International Politics of the Middle East
International politics of the Middle East as a microcosm of world politics. The Middle East as a regional system. Domestic and International Politics in the Middle East. Changing Political Structures in the Middle East. Superpower involvement in the Middle East. Learn more

Spring Quarter 2024

History 113—History of Modern Israel 
Topics include the rise and fall of utopian Zionism, the century-long struggle between Jews and Arabs, the development of modern Hebrew culture, the conflict between religious and secular Jews, and the nature of Israel's multicultural society. Learn more

History 142B—The Memory of Holocaust
Examination of the literary, philosophical, theological and artistic responses to the Holocaust of the European Jews. Exploration of how memory is constructed, by whom and for what purposes. Learn more

Political Science 136—The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Causes, course, and implications of Arab-Israeli conflict. Competing Israeli and Arab narratives, politics of force, diplomacy. Domestic politics and A-I conflict, the superpowers and the A-I conflict, A-I conflict and world politics, potential solutions. Learn more