News feedsLifelong Learning
The Parkes Institute is constantly developing its programme in Lifelong Learning to provide you with a rich and varied programme of evening classes and weekend study days and workshops. Our courses are designed to provide plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate with members of the Parkes Institute, and asking questions is certainly encouraged and very much welcomed.
The teaching on our Lifelong Learning programme is undertaken by staff at the Parkes Institute, who are hugely enthusiastic about their subjects and pride themselves on making their teaching both exciting and accessible. Many courses are, in fact, a reflection of the research expertise and culture of Parkes, which gives you access to the latest developments and innovative thinking on the subjects that you study. You also have access to the resources of the University including the Parkes Library.
For more details please get in touch with either Dr Helen Spurling (h.spurling@soton.ac.uk) or the Lifelong Learning team (lifelonglearning@southampton.ac.uk).
Evening Classes
We run a number of evening classes in Jewish Studies each year. The courses are suitable for both those with no background in the subject or a more detailed knowledge as the focus is on discussion and debate and answering the questions that interest you. Each course runs over 12 weeks, consisting of a 2 hour evening class once a week over the course of the university semester.
In 2012-13, we are running courses on:
• Approaches to Jewish History and Culture (Thursdays 7-9 starting 4th October)
• Eastenders: Jewish Life In London’s East End, 1870-1945 (Mondays 7-9 starting 1st October)
• Classical Hebrew (Thursdays 7-9 starting 31st January)
• The Palestine Mandate 1917-1948 (Wednesdays 7-9 starting 3rd October)
To obtain more details, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/lifelonglearning/jewish studies/.
Courses need a minimum of eight people to run, and the deadline for courses beginning in October is 19th September, so don’t forget to sign up!
Previous courses include:
‘Jews, Christians and Muslims: Relations Through the Ages’ and is team-taught by members of Parkes. It takes a multidisciplinary and chronological approach to key moments in the history of Jewish/non-Jewish Relations.
‘Jews and Christians on the Bible: Past and Present’ deals with the Bible, its reception and interpretation from biblical times to today.
Cultural Days
Cultural Days are a big part of our Lifelong Learning programme consisting of a day of talks and opportunities for discussion. The days reflect the work and expertise of members of the Parkes Institute, and consist of a series of short talks on a particular theme that are led by experts from within the Parkes Institute. These thought-provoking and inspiring study days provide you with the opportunity to learn and engage in discussion about particular aspects of Jewish Studies from academics of international distinction.
In the coming year we will host two cultural days on the following topics:
‘Change and Continuity: The Impact of the Holocaust’ Sunday 18th November 2012
A study day for the general public on ‘Change and Continuity: The Impact of the Holocaust’ will be held on 18th November 2012. The day will consist of a series of talks by experts from the Parkes Institute for the Study of Jewish/Non-Jewish Relations with plenty of opportunities for questions and discussion. The talks will cover topics on Jewish life from a variety of different perspectives, including history and literature, film, memoirs and Holocaust testimony. The day will present the opportunity to learn about the impact of the Holocaust and examine developments within Jewish life since this defining event from the perspectives of history, literature, religion and culture.
‘Lost in Translation? Jewish Cultures’ Saturday 1st June 2013
‘Lost in Translation? Jewish Cultures’ is the second study day for the general public from the Parkes Institute for the Study of Jewish/Non-Jewish Relations this year. The day will be held on 1st June 2013 and will consist of a series of talks with lots of opportunities for questions, discussion and debate. Jewish life and identity have often been shaped in processes of dialogue with other groups, both in contact and conflict. This day will consider translation and transfer of languages but also of values, beliefs, histories and narratives from past to present and from one culture into another as key in the Jewish experience. Talks will include subjects such as Holocaust-Survivor Children in Postwar Britain and German-Jewish refugees of Nazi Germany.
Events such as these and further details can be found on the website: www.southampton.ac.uk/lifelonglearning/jewish_studies/.
Our first cultural day was on ‘Jewish Life Before and After the Holocaust’ and was a great success. It was attended by thirty members of the general public from diverse backgrounds, and looked at topics such as Photography, History, Literature, Television and the Bible. Participants and speakers also met over coffee and lunch to discuss the topics and all had a great day.
We have since had a number of cultural days including on topics such as: ‘Antisemitism’; ‘Exile and Dispersion’; ‘Jewish Culture through the Ages’; ‘Responses to the Holocaust’; and ‘Jewish-Christian Relations’.
Participants comments:
“I just wanted to say many thanks for such a stimulating conference today. The presentations were most interesting, the topics well chosen and varied, the chance to talk in the breaks was appreciated, and the whole organisation, from the inclusive layout of the room to the very welcome refreshments, was all very well arranged thank you. So, please pass on my thanks to all the people involved in giving us such a memorable and thought provoking day.”
“I thought it was very good. There were a variety of opinions, a good exchange of opinions […] it was very thought-provoking”
“A very good insight into the impact of these events on the Jewish population and Jewish thinking”
“Interesting, stimulating and thought provoking”
“Great to have the opportunity for discussion”