RUSS 38.15 Homelands and Diasporas: Russian Jews on Three Continents
Drawing on a variety of disciplines, such as anthropology, history, sociology, political science, and cultural studies, and sources ranging from academic works to works of fiction and films, the course first explores the history and culture of Russian (pre-1917) and especially Soviet Jews (1917-1991)—a major and significant segment of the world Jewry—prior to the massive immigration of the 1970s-1990s. The rest of the course involves a comparison of the experience of Russian-speaking Jews in the three major countries they have immigrated to—Israel, US, and Germany—as well as those remaining in Russia today.