Jews of Muslim Lands: Responses to Modernity
Alanna E. Cooper
University of Massachusetts, Amhert 2007
At the beginning of the twentieth century some one million Jews lived in North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Although many of these communities traced back their history in the region for well over a millennia, the forces of modernity dislodged their deep roots in the region, giving rise to dramatic population upheaval. By the close of the twentieth century, less than a tenth of the Jews remained.
The dramatic story of the end of these diaspora communities has significant implications for how we understand the unfolding of modern Jewish history. Likewise, the story is critical for understanding contemporary Arab-Israeli relations. Along these lines, we will deal three major themes over the course of semester:
(1) Where and how do Jews in Muslim lands fit into the study of Modern Jewish history? In particular, how does their engagement with modernity overlap with and differ from the Jews of Europe?
(2) What is the impact of colonization in North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia? We will explore this question through the lens of the Jewish minority population.
(3) What is the relationship between contemporary politics and historical memory? In particular, we will explore the intimate link between the varied historical narratives of the Jews’ great migration from Muslim lands and contemporary political discourse surrounding the Arab-Israel conflict.
The dramatic story of the end of these diaspora communities has significant implications for how we understand the unfolding of modern Jewish history. Likewise, the story is critical for understanding contemporary Arab-Israeli relations. Along these lines, we will deal three major themes over the course of semester:
(1) Where and how do Jews in Muslim lands fit into the study of Modern Jewish history? In particular, how does their engagement with modernity overlap with and differ from the Jews of Europe?
(2) What is the impact of colonization in North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia? We will explore this question through the lens of the Jewish minority population.
(3) What is the relationship between contemporary politics and historical memory? In particular, we will explore the intimate link between the varied historical narratives of the Jews’ great migration from Muslim lands and contemporary political discourse surrounding the Arab-Israel conflict.
