Classes

So... here is my tentative class schedule for this semester. I have to drop one or two. I don't want to be too busy to do cool stuff. On my current schedule I do have Sunday off, so its a three day weekend- very conducive to trips and such.

1. Peace Building and Conflict Resolution in a Divided Society: This course will focus on different peace building strategies utilized in the context of deep rooted conflicts and divided societies. Students will learn to identify and understand the characteristics of these conflicts and the nature of ethnic relations in divided societies; examine theoretical frameworks with underline certain peace building strategies and approaches and understand the complexity and challenges involved in implementing peace-building strategies and the context of the conflicts.

2. Perspectives on Islam-Religion, History and Culture: This course in an overview of Islam in its religious, historical and cultural context. We will focus on the beliefs, practices, sects, family organization, the status of women, and the relationship between religion and politics, the concepts of war, peace and human rights We will also examine Islam's encounter with the West, the impact of modernization and the rise of revivalism, fundamentalism and terrorism.

3. Psychology and Religion: This course will focus on the interactions between two major expressions of the human spirit, which are also two different attempts to understand the place of human beings in the world. Within psychology, our course will focus on psychoanalysis and other personality theories, while in the field of religion we will focus on Judaism and Christianity. During this course we will take a look at several meeting points between the two fields, stressing their common historical roots and philosophical underpinnings, as well as pointing out their distinguishing features.

4. Archaeology of Jerusalem: Jerusalem is a major center for the religious civilizations of mankind, possessing long and varied history. Through archaeological study and exploration, this history is revealed. This course deals with the development of Jerusalem from the Canaanite Periods through the First and Second Temple Periods to the Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic Periods. The course traces the evolution of Jerusalem into a holy city for three religion, and how this was reflected in the shaping of the city.

5.Hebrew- maybe the intensive course- an extra two hours a week...?

6. An Internship at the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace (I don't know if I have gotten this yet): The one I tried for was... Interns will work closely with me on my research project of "Palestinian youth culture in Jerusalem". This project examines Palestinian youth culture, from clothing, musical tastes, personal internet sites, dating and so forth as an expression of political, religious, social and gendered identities in a city fraught with nationalist and religious conflict.

I would love any and all input. They all sound too good to drop. Love!