Israel: History, Politics, Culture, Identity
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this examination of Israeli identity through popular music, film, documentaries, art, and academic historical writing. The syllabus covers Israel's political system and society, ethnic relations, settlement projects, and the status of Arab minorities within the Jewish state. Discussions probe whether a unified Israeli culture exists and trace the ongoing struggle over national identity, originally developed for MIT students participating in the MISTI MIT-Israel program. Materials include readings, film screenings, and discussion-based sessions rather than lectures alone. The course sits within MIT's political science curriculum and draws on primary cultural sources alongside scholarly texts, giving students a way to weigh competing narratives about the state's founding, its minorities, and its evolving self-image. Course materials, readings lists, and assignments are freely available through MIT OpenCourseWare, with no certificate offered.