Colloquium: Beyond Borders: Jews and Others

Argument

In his quasi-ethnographic description of the ceremonies and customs observed among

the  jews  destiny  at  a  readership  Christian,  Leon  of  Modena,  rabbi  Venetian  from  17th  century,

heard  defend  the  dignity  from  populations  jews  of  his  time  face  to  attacks  of which  they

were the subject. Throughout their history, modern Jewish studies have been traversed by

different degrees by a thought, even implicit, of the link between Jewishness and otherness: to describe the Jews.

you as others, the Jews and their others, the Jews and the others.

It is in this perspective that this symposium wishes to question the notion of otherness in relation to the study

of the Jewishness(ies). It will not only be a question of exploring the modes of alterization of Jews,

but also to articulate reflections that highlight the multiple levels of interactions,

of connections and conflicts between Jews and “their”, “of” or “the” others, or, where appropriate,

their absence. In an innovative way, the objective of this symposium is also to decompartmentalize the

studies  Jewish.  Except  exceptions  important,  the  field  from  studies  jews  academics  tends  at

evolve in a vacuum. Exchanges are limited, both on the interdisciplinary level and on that,

properly epistemological, validation of knowledge allowing to test tools

theoretical and empirical results.

In this perspective, this symposium will:

•to reflect transversally on the use of concepts, paradigms and theories that

have been developed within contexts, movements and communities marked by

dynamic  of  dispersal,  of  racialization,  of  minorization  Where  of  discrimination  (ie

“diaspora”, “intersectionality”, “ghetto”, ...);

•discuss and analyze concrete cases of interactions, connections or conflicts between

of Jewish populations or Jewish individuals with other groups or individuals;

•to analyze  the  thought  (social,  theological,  philosophical)  of intellectuals  jew.ve.s,  that is

of  way  comparative  with  others  intellectuals,  that is  of  way  at  to put  in  relief  the

socio-historical conditions which, at different scales, made possible their development;

• to identify otherness and diversity within the Jewish world itself, thus exploring these Jewishness(es)

which compose it and the multiple forms of their articulation; more than the Jews and the others that

here will be the time to talk about Jews and their others (Ashkenazi, Sephardim, Hassidim,

Karaites, but also the religious/non-religious divide and the different streams of Judaism

(Reform, Orthodox, etc.).

Colloquium organized by:

The Collectif Judéité(s) is a bilingual group based at the University of Montreal whose

objective of bringing together students and young researchers from different universities whose work

is related to Jewishness(ies) and Jewish studies. The Collective organizes events by

and/or for members (conferences, workshops, etc.) to foster discussions and debates

interdisciplinary and interuniversity, as well as the rapprochement and collaboration between

French-speaking and English-speaking poles of research on Jewishness. The ultimate goal is to reflect

collectively to political, religious, cultural, socio-demographic and methodological issues

and epistemological in connection with the Jewishness (ies) in Quebec and in the world.