JWC3540 - Israeli culture through cinema and literature

Leader(s): Professor Fania Oz-Salzberger and Dr Michael Fagenblat

Offered

Not offered in 2009

Synopsis

This unit presents aspects of current Israeli culture as depicted in cinema and related literary works. Focus will be given to the social and cultural fault lines of Israeli society, such as Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, ashkenazi and sepharadi, city and periphery, ideology and reality, old and young. We will follow the history of Israeli culture through viewings and texts of films and documentaries and read some of the belletristic and critical literature associated with them. The format of the unit will include lectures, partly by video, and film viewing.

Objectives

Upon completion of the unit students will be expected:

1. To be acquainted with representations of Israeli history and culture as depicted in modern Israeli cinema and related literary works;
2. To gain a sense of current debates and discussions on Israeli culture and identity;
3. To familiarize themselves with the major issues addressed by contemporary Israeli cinema and literature;
4. To understand aspects of cinematic rendering of literary works, both in the Israeli and in broader cultural contexts; and
5. To be able to analyse and discuss the complexities of contemporary Israeli society and culture.

6. The ability to demonstrate deeper and broader and knowledge of the complexity of Israeli culture.

Assessment

Written work: 90% (4500 words)
Participation: 10%

Contact hours

Five 3-hour seminars per week for three weeks

Prohibitions

JWC2540