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The Jews of Central Europe
Instructor & Course Information Course Site: https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=14148 Instructor: Dr. Hana Kubatova Email: hana.kubatova@fsv.cuni.cz Office Hours: Available via konzultace.fsv.cuni.cz, and by appointment Office Location: Room 516, Jinonice
Course Outline This course explores transformations in the political, social, and cultural life of Central European Jewry in the modern era. It introduces and critically examines selected core themes that formed histories and cultures of the Jews from the eighteenth until the twenty-first century. Topics include traditional Jewish society, enlightenment, emancipation, racial antisemitism, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Holocaust and the rebirth of Jewish life after 1945.
General Course Disclaimer As with all my courses, this course is built on discontent. I like to disagree. I also encourage my students to disagree with me. I tend to think that true learning involves making us feel uncomfortable—challenging what we think we know, critically evaluating the information we absorb, and questioning assumptions we may have taken for granted. In my courses, we engage in discussions, debates, and respectful disagreements. This course is no exception.
Readings Readings for the class include news articles, book chapters, primary sources, and scholarly papers. All readings are available on the course Moodle site. It is essential that students read the required readings for each class beforehand. Occasionally, I will also bring handouts to class.
Schedule and Required Readings
Class 1 (Feb 20): Introductory Class and Syllabus Reading
Class 2 (Feb 27): Traditional Jewish Society Salo Baron, “Ghetto and Emancipation,” reprinted in Leo W. Schwartz, ed. The Menorah Treasury (Philadelphia 1964): 50 - 63.
No class on Mar 6
Class 3 (Mar 13): Enlightenment Jacob Katz, Out of the Ghetto: The Social Background of Jewish Emancipation (New York 1978): 42-103.
Class 4 (Mar 20): Emancipation Hillary L. Rubinstein, Dan Cohn-Sherbok, “Enlightenment and emancipation in continental Europe, 1750-1880,” in The Jews in the Modern World: A History since 1750 (London 2002), 15-42.
Class 5 (Mar 27): Racial Antisemitism Jacob Katz, From Prejudice to Destruction: Anti-Semitism, 1700-1933 (Cambridge 1980): 1-10, 245-300
Class 6 (Apr 3): Zionism Isaiah Friedman, “Theodor Herzl: Political Activity and Achievements,” in Israel Studies, vol. 9, no. 3 (Fall 2004): 46-79.
Class 7 (Apr 10): Assimilation Marsha Rozenblit, “The Dissolution of the monarchy and the crisis of Jewish identity, October 1918 - June 1919,” in Reconstructing a National Identity: The Jews of Habsburg Austria during World War I (Oxford, New York 2004): 128-161.
Class 8 (Apr 17): The Holocaust Omer Bartov, Wartime Lies and Other Testimonies, in East European Politics & Societies 25:3 (2011): 486-511.
Class 10 (Apr 24): The Postwar Jan T. Gross, Fear: Anti-Semitism in Poland after Auschwitz. Essays in Historical Interpretation (New York 2007): 81-117.
Elevator Pitch due May 1
Class 11 (May 15): Holocaust Memory Karen Auerbach, Review Essay: Holocaust Memory in Polish Scholarship, in AJS Review 35:1 (April 2011): 137-150.
Grading
Active Participation: 30% The stress here is on active, rather than participation. You are allowed two absences apart from medical reasons. Elevator Pitch: 20% Please upload your responses on our Moodle site by midnight on May 1. You will be asked the following questions • What is the topic of your (empirical) research? • What is the problem, issue, or question that you are asking and addressing in your research? • Why is that problem interesting and important? (i.e. So what?) • How does your work connect with a broader disciplinary conversation about Jews in Central Europe, and what does it add to that conversation? Essay: 50% This is your 10-page research essay that builds on your elevator pitch. Please note 50% of your grade goes into your essay––it is important. As with your elevator pitch, your paper needs to
In terms of formal requirements, you are welcome to adhere to any citation style if you are consistent throughout your paper. No title sheet is necessary.
General Guidelines
Making Accommodations If you have any concerns about your grades or participation, please do talk to me! I understand that some situations might make participation difficult for some students. Should you need accommodations for religious, medical, or any other reasons, or if there is anything else I can do to help you thrive in this class, please contact me early in the semester.
Academic Integrity It is important to be aware of issues of academic integrity. Plagiarism, whether intentional or not, is a serious academic offense. I report all academic integrity issues to the Disciplinary Committee, and I consider them a breach of trust.
AI USE The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, including but not limited to text generators (e.g., ChatGPT), grammar checkers, and research assistants, is allowed in this course under specific conditions.
Any use of AI tools for assignments, discussions, or projects must be fully disclosed in your work. This includes specifying what tools were used, how they contributed to your process, and how they influenced the final submission. AI can be a helpful supplement to your learning and research, but it must not replace your own critical thinking and original analysis. Undisclosed use of AI tools may be considered a breach of academic integrity, potentially leading to disciplinary actions as per the university’s policy. Proper citation of any AI-generated content is required, just as with any other source or tool you incorporate into your work.
If you are unsure about how to use AI tools ethically in your assignments or projects, please consult with the instructor early in the semester.
No-Electronic Devices Policy My classes observe a no-electronic devices policy. Students are not to use computers, tablets, or phones in class. I have found that this creates the best environment for learning. Don’t worry—there’s no need to take notes during my lectures. I will post everything you need on the Moodle site. Last update: Kubátová Hana, M.A., Ph.D. (20.02.2025)
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