JWST332

Explores the Israeli settler movement over the last four decades, from its position on the fringes of Israeli society in the 1970s and 1980s to its rise to prominence in Israeli politics today. Topics will include the history of the Israeli settlement project in the West Bank, the emergence of Gush Emunim and its ideological foundations in Jewish messianism, its violent offshoots, and the influence of the settler movement on the Israeli political system. Study of these topics illuminates some of the most important driving forces of modern history such as nationalism, religious fundamentalism, colonialism and the ability of a determined minority to influence a country's policies.