Academic Catalog

MES511 ISRAELI POLITICS AND SOCIETY

Course Code: 8320511
METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): 3(0-0)
ECTS Credit: 8.0
Department: Middle East Studies
Language of Instruction: English
Level of Study: Graduate
Course Coordinator:
Offered Semester: Fall and Spring Semesters.

Course Content

This course offers students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the historical, political and societal developments and debates in Israel. The course is organized into two parts. The first part will analyse the historical and political background of Israel, looking at Jewish History; emergence of Zionism; society and state formation, political and state institutions, security issues; and foreign policy. The second part will examine the divisions and debates within the society along ethnic, religious and national identity lines. Israeli democracy and militarism will also be analysed in the second part. The course is not designed to scrutinize the ARab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, yet the influence of these conflicts upon Israeli politics and society will be discussed throughout the course.