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The History of Modern Israel - Part II: Challenges of Israel as a sovereign state

Approx. 12 hours to complete

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Course Summary

Explore the history of Israel as a sovereign state from its inception to the present day with this course from Tel Aviv University.

Key Learning Points

Learn about the key events and personalities that have shaped Israel's history
Understand the different perspectives and narratives that exist within Israeli society
Explore the challenges facing Israel today and the prospects for the future

Learning Outcomes

Gain a deep understanding of Israel's history and the different perspectives that exist within Israeli society
Develop critical thinking and analytical skills through the study of primary sources and historical debates
Enhance your knowledge of Middle Eastern politics and the challenges facing the region today

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

No prior knowledge of Israeli history is required, but a basic familiarity with Middle Eastern politics is helpful
Access to the internet and the ability to watch video lectures and complete online assignments

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced
Video lectures
Interactive assignments

Similar Courses

The Arab-Israeli Conflict
The Middle East: Fragility and Conflict
Jewish Diaspora in Modern Times

Notable People in This Field

Avi Shlaim
Caroline Glick
Martin Kramer

Related Books

Description

This course deals with the Israeli politics, economy, society and culture, since its creation in 1948 till today. It analyzes the construction of the Israeli historical narrative as an identity-building narrative, intending to inculcate a collective memory to a diverse society. We will focus on key events and essential components that shaped the Israeli society from the fifties till the present. We will also discuss the changes that the Israeli society experiences in its almost seventy years of existence and how it affects its politics and culture. Among the topics we will discuss issues such as immigration, economic transformation, political upheaval, religious Zionism and post-Zionism, privatization and Americanization, Holocaust increasing role in shaping Israel's identity, diversity and multiculturalism, as well as the enduring conflict with the Palestinians and the Arab world.

This course is a direct extension of the first part "The History of Modern Israel: From an Idea to a State", so if you have not yet taken it, we highly recommend you start your learning from there (https://www.coursera.org/learn/history-israel/). In order to receive academic credit for this course you must successfully pass the academic exam on campus. For information on how to register for the academic exam – https://tauonline.tau.ac.il/registration Additionally, you can apply to certain degrees using the grades you received on the courses. Read more on this here – https://go.tau.ac.il/b.a/mooc-acceptance Teachers interested in teaching this course in their class rooms are invited to explore our Academic High school program here – https://tauonline.tau.ac.il/online-highschool * This course is a joint effort of Tel Aviv University & Israel Institute (www.israelinstitute.org) * This course uses media material from various archives, courtesy to Yad Vashem Archive for their help. * This course is self-paced. Once you register, you can participate in the course anytime, as often as you wish and over any stretch of time

Outline

Israeli Society: The First Years 1948-1967
Course Trailer
Introduction
The Israeli Political System
The First Years - A Political review
Security Threats and Military Operations
Economic Difficulties and Economic Growth
Facing mass Immigration and the Challenge of Absorption - Part 1
Facing mass Immigration and the Challenge of Absorption - Part 2
The Eichmann Trial
International Relations and Domestic Policy
A Man & A Symbol: Ben Gurion's Leadership – An interview with Prof. Zeev Tsachor (In Hebrew - Please use subtitles)
Popular Culture and Common Life in the fifties and Sixties - An interview with Prof. Orit Rozin
Summary
The Armistice - Moshe Sharett
The Kfar Qasim massacre court trial
Evaluate your knowledge

Israel, Between War and Peace 1967-1979
Opening
The Six-Day War
The Impact of the War on Israeli society: Geography, demography, economy, politics, defense, culture, the issue of the territories
The Yom Kippur war
The Impact of the war on the Israeli society: political impact, economic, shattering of Israeli identity
Non-Parliamentary political organization - Settlement movement
Non-Parliamentary political organization - Peace Now
Peace with Egypt
The relations with Egypt - Interview with Shimon Shamir
The path towards the Six-Day War - Political view
The path towards the Six-Day War - Civilian view
Quiz

Israel - A Society in transition 1977-1995
Opening
The political turnover and the rise of the "National traditional block"
Economic transformation
The 1st Lebanon war
The Palestinian uprising (1st Intifada)
Immigration
Towards negotiations with the Palestinians
The Oslo accords
Peace with Jordan
Rabin's Assassination
Sephardi discrimination feelings
Quiz

Changing Identity
Opening
Americanization and Globalization: Politics and Culture
The Jewish context: Israel-Diaspora relationship
Towards a Multi-Cultural Society
Zionism, Post-Zionism & Religious Zionism
The Memory of the Holocaust as a Basis for Collective Identity
The Memory of the Holocaust and the IDF (Israeli army) - An interview with Dr. Tammy Hoffman
President Reuven Rivlin address regarding the fragmentation of the Israeli society
Author Amos Oz arguing for cultural diversity
Author Aharon Appelfeld, a Holocaust survivor, testifies:
Quiz

Israel in the 21th century
Opening
Economic growth and Transformation - The Start-Up nation
Israeli society Probes, Challenges, The social protest and its results
Israeli Democracy Political Fragmentation and Discontent
The 2nd intifada, Gaza withdrawal and wars
The Transformation of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (State Actors and non-State Players)
Jewish and Democratic: Challenges and tensions
Jewish and Democratic or Jewish vs Democratic? - An interview panel (In Hebrew - Please use subtitles)
Quiz

Summary of User Reviews

Read reviews for History of Israel: From an Idea to a State course on Coursera. Users have praised this course for its comprehensive approach to the subject matter. Many users have found the course engaging and informative, resulting in a high overall rating.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Comprehensive approach to the subject matter.

Pros from User Reviews

Engaging and informative course
Great lectures and materials
In-depth coverage of the topic
Well-structured and easy to follow
Excellent instructor

Cons from User Reviews

Some users find the course too focused on Zionism
A few users feel that the course could be more balanced
Some users have reported technical issues with the platform
A few users find the course to be too time-consuming
Some users have reported difficulty keeping up with the pace of the course

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