This document outlines the major goals and requirements for a course on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The three main goals are to make the conflict more intelligible without oversimplification, foster greater empathy for all sides, and develop a habit of questioning all perspectives presented. Assessment includes a final exam, midterm paper, three short written responses, and discussion participation which requires adhering to a code of civility. The course will involve readings, presentations, activities and discussions aimed at covering course material and interacting with different aspects of the conflict.

1. Major Goals of the Course
1. to make the conflict more intelligible without
the distortions that result from
oversimplification

2. Major Goals of the Course
2. to foster greater empathy for the humanity of
everyone involved in the conflict, including a
deeper appreciation of their various kinds of
suffering, fear, vulnerability, hope, and need.

3. Major Goals of the Course
3. for students to develop the habit of
questioning all statements, books, speakers,
pamphlets, videos, and other presentations on
the conflict, and for students to have a sense
of what some of the appropriate questions are.
This includes questioning your dear instructor,
who wants you to take other courses on this
topic and engage a very wide range of
perspectives.

4. Course Requirements
Final Exam – 40%
Midterm Paper – 35%
3 Short Written Responses – 18% (6% each)
Discussion / Participation – 7%

5. Course Requirements
Final Exam – 40%
The exam will be open-book / open-notes. It will
consist of one of two options:
(a) About 10 short essay questions
(b) An alternate exam format in which you will be
asked to argue two opposing sides of a central
question in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

6. Course Requirements
Midterm Paper – 35%
I will post several topics on blackboard by Jan. 15th.
You can also propose a topic and, if I approve, write
on that topic.
This is a 6 to 8 page paper, so the intent of this
assignment is to tackle a topic that is “nugget-sized.”

7. Course Requirements
3 Short Written Responses – 18% (6% each)
Each of these will be a 150 word (+/- 20 words)
personal reflection responding to something in class
(e.g. a guest speaker, a video, etc.) These personal
reflections are documents in which you are free to
share your personal views, or feelings, or questions,
etc. about whatever element it is you are responding
to. I will treat the content confidentially.

8. Course Requirements
3 Short Written Responses – 18% (6% each)
The responses are due:
• January 24, 2013
• February 14, 2013
• March 7, 2013
Responses should be submitted on actual paper, not
electronically. Barring a serious emergency, I will not
accept late short written responses. You’ll just get a

9. Course Requirements
3 Short Written Responses – 18% (6% each)
Opportunity to get full credit for one of these short
written responses if you register and attend at least
one keynote speaker at the upcoming “Social Justice,
Real Justice” conference at UO, Feb. 14 – 17, 2013.
To register (free) see: www.tinyurl.com/sjrj2013

10. Course Requirements
Discussion / Participation – 7%
This part of your grade will depend on two elements I
will weigh equally: 1) your willingness to engage in
discussion or ask questions, and 2) your ability to
honor the code of civility that I require all of us to use
in this class.

11. Course Requirements
Code of Civility
• Respectful disagreement
• Respectful questioning
• For people who tend to like to share a lot, making
sure that you leave room for others to participate
• Refraining from language that is bigoted or
derogatory
• Assuming the best intentions, not the worst, if
someone does say something that causes pain or
offense (“ouch”)

12. Course Requirements
Code of Civility
• Allowing the use of politicized language while
holding one another to a mutually agreed
expectation to avoid bigoted or derogatory
language. (This can be tricky.)
• This is a closed classroom – no visitors or guests
without the advance permission of the instructor.

13. Beginning of Course Survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HQ753
SJ

14. Small Group Activity
Please locate the other students who have the same
number you were given at the beginning of class. In
small groups, please discuss the following questions:
1. What hopes do you bring to this course?
2. What concerns or worries to you bring to this
course?
3. What, if anything, do you want to know about the
instructor?

15. What’s Next…
Starting our readings…
Reading and questioning the authors at the same
time…
Class will tend to involve some kind of presentation or
activity dealing with the material covered in the
reading during the first half, followed by a break, and
then a wider range of interactive activities relating to
different aspects of our subject during the second half
of class.

16. “Closing with Hope”
Combattants for Peace Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBr7N
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