Contending with Israel-Palestine

Undergraduate

This course takes an in-depth look at important questions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: the parties’ competing perspectives and historical narratives; why the conflict has proved so intractable and peacemaking efforts so inadequate; why it has assumed such importance in international politics and in the United States; the status of Israel-Palestine today; internal debates regarding the conflict among Palestinians, Israelis, and Americans; the function and limits of third-party mediation; the question of media coverage; and the search for new solutions. In that sense, the course does not purport to offer a comprehensive history of the conflict, but rather a critical examination of the larger and oftentimes very difficult and emotional themes that it raises. The syllabus is a live document; it will be modified and updated in response to class discussions and on-the-ground developments. SO W 1:30pm-3:25pm