This seminar considers enslavement practices in the biblical world. Although we will focus on the ancient Middle East and Mediterranean from the Iron Age through the early Roman Empire (roughly 1200 BCE through 300 CE), we will frame problems of enslavement broadly to show how systems of group-based slavery and punishment practiced in the ancient world were enshrined in the biblical literature and then perpetuated throughout history. Our goal is not just to investigate the relationship and differences between these systems and second-wave chattel slavery during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, but also to interrogate how these ancient practices have informed, substantiated, and can elucidate contemporary institutions like systemic racism and the prison-industrial complex.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 12

Prerequisites: A course in a relevant subject area such as Religion, History, Africana Studies, Jewish Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Classics, or American Studies, or by permission of the instructor.

Instructor: Jarrard

Distribution Requirements: REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; HS - Historical Studies

Typical Periods Offered: Every three years

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered

Notes: