Living Jerusalem is an experimental course that combines ethnographic, historical, political and cultural overviews of Jerusalem and examines the impact of weblogs (blogs) and video conferences as dialogue points for studying about individuals living as adversarial neighbors in this disputed urban context.

The course provides an opportunity for students to enter into a web-based learning environment with Israeli and Palestinian faculty and students as well as to engage with their classmates in face-to-face discussion. Throughout the term we will explore multiple histories, contemporary political issues, intersecting cultural practices, cultural borrowing, transmission and appropriation, and disputed claims to cultural legacies.

One of our goals is to better understand blogging as a tool in our study of Jerusalem. Students will build weblogs through which they will offer responses to course readings and other forms of media as well as comment on each other responses and share new materials. We will also explore the use of video conferencing as a vehicle for discussion with Israeli and Palestinian faculty and students in Jerusalem.

During the term, we will hold 3-6 video-conference sessions with Israeli and Palestinian faculty and/or students in Jerusalem. These sessions will focus on shared readings determined by the instructors at American universities and Jerusalem?based institutions.

Interview with course instructor

The Ohio State University:

The course is being offered in the Spring Semster of 2017 (flyer):

International Studies 4200
LIVING JERUSALEM:  Ethnography & Bridge Blogging in Disputed Territory