This course explores Jewish participation and leadership in the broad social movements, including labor, civil rights, and feminism, that have defined twentieth- and twenty-first-century American society. How have changing identities in terms of "race" and social class influenced Jewish communal and individual engagement in social justice issues over this time? In what way have evolving tensions between African Americans and white American Jews and over the American Jewish relationship to Israel complicated these identities and commitments? Can contemporary American Jews maintain a meaningful distinctive voice on social issues while navigating the growing diversity of their own community and the challenging contours of today's progressive politics? Using a combination of archival, audiovisual, and current media, students in this course will consider how complex political, religious, class, gender, social, and racial dynamics shape the contours of varied American identities.