F.K. Clementi, Director

Overview

Judaism has been central to Western culture from antiquity to the present. Its contributions to Western civilization are deeply interwoven into both Jewish and non-Jewish Western cultural history, contributing significantly to art, language, law, literature, medicine, philosophy and political thought. Jewish Studies is thus an important component of the larger liberal arts curriculum. Its focus on important issues of group and national identity, Diaspora, genocide and cultural survival gives Jewish Studies particular relevance not merely to those who seek a richer understanding of the Jewish experience but also to scholars of other dispossessed or minority groups. Fundamentally interdisciplinary in its approach and international in its focus, the University of South Carolina’s Jewish Studies Progam adds an important dimension to the scholarly work being done in Jewish Studies in South Carolina. The courses and activities of the program are designed to enhance our knowledge of Judaism’s role on the world stage and help students and scholars forge connections between Judaism in South Carolina and this larger context.