Discourse on Colonialism and Zionism

Undergraduate / Graduate

Why is Zionism discussed so often in terms of colonialism? What is colonialism, what is Zionism, and what discourses bring them together? Examining early texts from the Zionist movement, spanning political, labor, and cultural Zionism, this course introduces students to how language, history, religion, archaeology, literature, and political theory have shaped the discourse around Israel, Palestine, and opened up debates about the meaning sovereignty, self-determination, and indigeneity. Offering a variety of critical perspectives on the formation of Israel and the discourse around it, this course asks students to think about the relationship between knowledge, power, identity, and the institutions that maintain them.