The Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies is pleased to announce a new Minor in Israel Studies, beginning in Fall 2024. The Israel Studies minor provides students with a comprehensive regional and interdisciplinary study of Israel’s history and diverse populations in the context of the Middle East. Scroll down to learn about this minor and its requirements.

Roi Sabar gives a lecture on The Fortress(es) of Queren Naftali, as part of the Israel Studies Event Series.

Program Overview

The Israel Studies program offers critical insight into conversations about nationalism, liberalism, citizenship, globalization, technology, religion, ethnicity, and diaspora studies. It encourages participation from students and faculty with diverse backgrounds across a wide range of academic disciplines. Students study topics such as:

Areas of study include:

  • Israeli history and socio-political communities
  • Israeli media, arts, and popular culture
  • The Jewish diaspora
  • Palestinian society, culture, and ideology
  • Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
  • Mediterranean climate and environment

Learn more about the requirements below. For more information about the minor, please contact Prof. Nancy Harrowitz at nharrow@bu.edu.

Requirements

As a prerequisite or corequisite to the minor, students must complete 2 semesters (or the equivalent) of Hebrew language instruction to acquire basic linguistic and cultural competency in the country’s primary language.

The Israel Studies minor requires six 4-credit courses. A grade of C or above is required.

Required Courses (2)

  1. HI 392/JS285/LH 284: “Israel History, Politics, Culture” (Gateway course)
  2. One course on other areas of the Middle East, chosen from:
    • CAS XL 223: Introduction to Middle Eastern Literatures
    • CAS XL 380/WS 380/CI 380: Gender and Identity in Contemporary Middle Eastern Film
    • CAS HI 389: Americans in the Middle East
    • CAS IR 382/GE 382: Understanding the Modern Middle East
    • CAS IR 312/PO 369: Comparative Developments in the Middle East

Electives (4)

Choose four electives from the following list. No more than two can be Hebrew language and culture courses (LH) at the 300 level or above. One course in Arabic language can also count as an elective (CAS LY 112-304).

  1. CAS JS 100: Cultures of the Jews (GCI,IIC,TWC)
  2. CAS JS 121/RN 104: Judaism, Christianity, Islam (AEX, GCI, CRI)
  3. CAS JS 130/LH 250: Modern Hebrew Literature (GLI, AEX, CRI)
  4. CAS RN 220/JS 250 Holy City (AEX, IIC)
  5. CAS JS/LH 283 Israeli Culture Through Film (AEX, GCI, WIN)
  6. CAS JS 286/ HI 393 Israeli Palestinian Conflict (HCC, GCI)
  7. CAS AR342/742/RN390/690: Archaeology of the Holy Land (ETR, DME, TCC)
  8. CAS JS/EE 385 Israel and the Environment (SO2, ETR)
  9. CAS JS/EE 387 Environmental Law in Israel and the Mediterranean (CRT, ETR)
  10. CAS LH 311/JS 281: Voices in Israeli Society (GCI, DME)
  11. CAS LH 312/JS 282: Food Culture in Israel (OSC, GCI)
  12. CAS LH 330/JS 280: Israeli Popular Music (DME, GCI)
  13. CAS LH 340/JS 380: Israeli Culture Through Media (ETR, DME)
  14. CAS LY 112 Elementary Modern Arabic 2 (IIC)
  15. CAS LY 211 Second Year Modern Arabic 1 (IIC)
  16. CAS LY 212 Second Year Modern Arabic 2 (GCI, IIC)
  17. CAS LY 214 Levantine Arabic 1 (IIC)
  18. CAS LY 215 Levantine Arabic 2 (IIC, GCI)
  19. CAS LY 303 Third Year Modern Arabic 1 (OSC, GCI)
  20. CAS LY 304 Third Year Modern Arabic 2 (GCI, DME)
  21. CAS LY 420 Arabic Media (DME, OSC, ETR)

Sample 4-Year Plans

Plan A

  • Year 1: Finish Hebrew language prerequisite or corequisite
  • Year 2: JS 285, one elective from Middle East studies
  • Year 3: 2 electives in Israel Studies
  • Year 4: Finish minor with 2 more electives

Plan B

  • Year 1: Start language pre or corequisite; take one elective or required course
  • Year 2: Finish language pre/corequisite; finish required course JS 285 or Middle East Studies requirement
  • Year 3: 1 elective in Israel Studies; second required course if not already completed
  • Year 4: Finish electives (2)