NEW COURSE
JEWISHST 107 – Jews and Other ‘Others’ in Modern North Africa
Semester: Spring
Offered: 2026
Instructor: Jessica Marglin
Meeting Time: T 12:45-2:45pm
Jews have lived in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya) from the Roman period through the present, and they constitute the only non-Muslim religious minority west of Egypt. Understanding the history of Jews allows us to approach both North African and Jewish history from perspectives too often occluded by the standard historiographical narratives. Most Jewish history still centers on the Jews of Europe, especially after the medieval period. Yet across North Africa, Jews constituted some of the most vital and long-lived Jewish communities in the world. And when we read about the history of North Africa and the Middle East, we tend to think about Muslims primarily, and perhaps Christians secondarily. Examining North African history from the perspective of Jews and other “others,” such as Amazigh (often called Berbers), racialized minorities (such as sub-Saharan Africans), and other Muslim sects (such as Ibadis) gets us away from a homogenous view of North Africa inspired by twentieth-century nationalism. This seminar is intended for advanced undergraduates with some knowledge of Middle Eastern and North African history and/or Jewish history, as well as graduate students.
For more details please visit the Harvard Course Catalog.