July 7-13, 2019

Although fiercely divided by ideology, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share a striking similarity: justification for waging war is deeply rooted in their respective traditions and texts. The bellicose inclination of these three Near Eastern monotheistic religions has had profound historical consequences and informs socio-political conflicts today.

With Ross Brann, the M. R. Konvitz Professor of Judeo-Islamic Studies and a CAU favorite, we'll explore the concepts of holy war, crusade, and jihad and trace their cultural histories. In the second part of the course, we'll discuss the ways faith-based axioms such as a "clash of civilizations," "the Evil Empire," "The Great Satan," and the "Axis of Evil" in contemporary political discourse explicitly or implicitly posit political conflict as a "battle for God."

This program is part of Cornell’s Adult University (CAU), which offers education vacations designed and led by Cornell faculty. Programs include off-campus travel adventures and weeklong on-campus summer courses open to all, including Cornell alumni, families, and friends.

For more information and to register, visit cau.cornell.edu, email cauinfo@cornell.edu, or call 607.255.6260.