Every year, the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies sponsors a variety of courses related to modern Israel in departments across campus. Search for upcoming, Center-sponsored courses below.
Additional courses for the 2026-2027 academic year will be announced soon.
Center-Sponsored Courses
Fall 2026
National Security vs. Human Rights: Israel in Comparative Perspective
International Area Studies 188
Instructor: Dr. Rachela Er’el
Day & Time: Mon/Wed | 11 AM–12:15 PM
Course Description: A research-oriented examination of constant tension that democracies face between protecting human rights and maintaining national security. Students review and discuss key theoretical approaches to analysis of this tension. Study asks how security decisions are made, what considerations guide them, what social goals are advanced in the name of national security, and what impact using national security considerations has on democracy's strength. Israel used as case study. Ongoing global trends are highlighted using Israel's political and institutional structure, and its continuous dealings with external and internal threats.
Winter 2027
Governing the Mosaic: Israel's Minority Politics in Comparative Perspective
Sociology 180A
Instructor: Dr. Rachela Er'el
Day & Time: TBD
Course Description: This course asks how nations address and manage complexities of cultural and ethnic diversity; to what extent state policies and institutional frameworks impact dynamics between minority and majority groups; and what role social structures and interactions play in shaping collective identity of social groups within national context. Study centers on dynamics of minority-majority relationships, with specific focus on Israel as case study. Key topics for discussion encompass multiculturalism, discrimination, inequality, migration, and social mobility. Also, students make comparisons between how Israel addresses social diversity and how other complex societies—such as U.S., Australia, and European nations—handle similar issues.
Spring 2027
Introduction to International Human Rights Law
Global Studies 160
Instructor: Dr. Rachela Erel
Day & Time: TBD
Course Description: This course offers an accessible and comparative introduction to international human rights law. It examines core international legal instruments, institutional enforcement mechanisms, and key debates surrounding universality, cultural relativism, and the interpretation of human rights norms across different legal, cultural, and political contexts. Through comparative case studies—including Israel, the United States, Europe, and selected Arab states—the course explores how international human rights law is implemented, contested, and enforced in practice.
Special Courses in Film, Television, and Digital Media: Israel and Palestine on Screen: Film and Television from the Middle East
FILM TV 188A
Instructor: Dr. Ethan Pack
Day & Time: TBD
Course Description: A survey of Israeli and Palestinian films, television series, and literature, from a land often defined by its depiction on screen. We will view groundbreaking films and shows that grapple with the most compelling issues in Israeli and Palestinian life today, including the impact of political violence and religious extremism. The course will consider the increasing prominence of Middle Eastern content on streaming platforms. We will discuss questions of adaptation between cultures and across genres, while examining how different forms of media respond to one another. Our material will explore the complex positions of Palestinians in both Israel and the Occupied Territories; the internal diversity of Israel’s Jewish immigrant communities; and the domestic dramas of Jerusalem, among many other compelling topics.
For questions whether a course will count toward another major or minor, please consult your departmental Student Affairs Officer.
Search for classes below related to Israel in a wide range of disciplines. Select academic year and quarter to view course offerings.