A quarter of the population in Israel is not Jewish – by which is meant residents not recognized as Jewish by the Interior Ministry. Of this segment of the population, the great majority belongs to non-Jewish religious minorities, from the largest religious minority, Arab Sunni Muslims (1.2 million), to tiny minorities such as Coptic and Assyrians Christians (each about 1000 persons), and Bahá’Ăs (650). Others belonging to this part of the population either have no official religious personal status or consider themselves Jewish but are not recognized as such by the government. This course will provide a basic overview of the religious minorities of Israel, namely their background, characteristics, and present situation, and a basic understanding of the state’s legal system in regard to its religious minorities. By in addition focusing on a number of cases, first with the entire class and then in an individual research presentation on which basis the individual students´ grade will be assessed, the students will explore the various effects of this system on religious minorities.
https://www4.uib.no/en/studies/courses/relmin643
The student shall by the end of the course have gained the following learning outcome defined in knowledge, skills, and general competence:
Knowledge:
The student
has advanced knowledge of the religious, social, and political situation of the major religious minorities in Israel
can analyze the way religious matters are organized in the State of Israel and its occupied territories
can analyze the various ways this system affects religious minorities and their individual members
Skills:
The student
can engage in critical discussions and peer review activities about religious minorities in Israel
can conduct a short independent research project by finding and evaluating relevant source materials and demonstrate writing skills
General competence:
The student
can recognize biases and prejudices in sources about and by religious minorities.
can communicate in writing the complex social situations of religious minorities while using the concepts and terminology consistent with the master’s level of writing and the course literature.
None
All reading is compulsory.
Benjamin White, The Emergence of Religious in the Middle East: The Politics of Community in French Mandate Syria (University of Edinburgh Press, 2011), chapter 1
YĂĽksel Sezgin, “The Israeli Millet System: Examining Legal Pluralism Through Lenses of Nation-Building and Human Rights,” Israel Law Review 43 (2010), pp. 631-654.
Sapir and Daniel Statman, State and Religion in Israel (Cambridge University Press, 2018), chapter “Minority Religions in Israel”
Schreiber, Monika. “The Samaritans,” In P.S. Rowe (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Minorities in the Middle East. First edition. London: Routledge, 2018, pp. 225-239.
Semi, Emanuela Trevisan. “From Egypt to Israel: The Birth of a Karaite Edah in Israel Last ned From Egypt to Israel: The Birth of a Karaite Edah in Israel.” In Meira Polliack (ed.), Karaite Judaism: A Guide to its History and Literary Sources. Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 1. The Near and Middle East 73. Leiden: Brill, 2003, pp. 431-450.
Kais M. Firro, The Druzes in the Jewish State: A Brief History. Social, Economic and Political Studies of the Middle East and Asia 64. Leiden/Boston/Cologne: Brill, 1999. Introduction and Chapter 1
Mordechai Nisan, “The Druze in Israel: Questions of Identity, Citizenship, and Patriotism.” Middle East Journal 64 (Autumn 2010) no. 4, pp. 575-596.
The teaching and student activities in this course will be entirely digital and asynchronous.
Short introductory written lectures
Videos.
Readings
Following each video/reading, there will be a short quiz that tests the students’ basic understanding of the video/reading
Participation in online discussions
Transcript of records