AMES-541S

JEWS AND THE END OF THEORY

Not in Fall 2026
AMES · Taught by Ginsburg, Shai · Last offered Fall 2024
Term

Overview

Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that the readings, films, or examples carry real weight. Difficulty runs on the high side even without a single dominant complaint theme. Best for students who will engage with the materials instead of skimming everything. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.

DepartmentAMES
Terms offeredFall
Typical enrollment6–6
Semesters of data1
7.2
Hrs / week
5
Responses
6
Enrollment
83%
Response Rate

Evaluation Scores

Overall quality
Teaching, content, and experience combined.
4.8
12345
Intellectually stimulating
Challenges students to think deeply.
4.8
12345
Instructor effectiveness
Explains concepts and facilitates learning.
4.8
12345
Difficulty
Higher means harder.
4.0
12345

Feedback Analysis

Feedback Analysislow
Analysis based on student evaluations
Based on 13 comments across 1 sections

Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that the readings, films, or examples carry real weight. Difficulty runs on the high side even without a single dominant complaint theme. Best for students who will engage with the materials instead of skimming everything. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.

Student Reports
How hard is the A?
Hard to get an A
Students repeatedly frame high grades as something you have to earn. This reads as hard to ace rather than casually easy, especially once the course pace or grading standards ramp up.
Homework Load
Heavy homework load
Homework load is one of the clearest friction points. Students repeatedly describe assignments, readings, or problem sets as time-consuming.
Lecture Load
Lighter lecture burden
Student comments describe this as more discussion-, seminar-, or workshop-driven than lecture-dependent. The lecture burden itself does not sound like the main source of friction.

Student Responses

Critical reading, Jewish thought, philosophy.
Fall 2024 · Ginsburg, Shai
Great introduction to major questions of Jewish studies; good practice in intertextual reading; sharp insight into the confluence of questions of nationality/identity and philosophy
Fall 2024 · Ginsburg, Shai
I was able to practice methods of close reading, and to critically consider Jewish and Jewish-adjacent theories and theorists. I learned about the changing historical contexts that informed the scholars, and the intellectual traditions and philosophies they were working with.
Fall 2024 · Ginsburg, Shai
The skills of close reading and the knowledge of Jewish zionism, genealogy of Jewish intellectuals, political philosophy during world war II.
Fall 2024 · Ginsburg, Shai

Rating History

Rating history
Error bars show \u00B11 std dev
TermInstructorOverallDifficultyHrs/wkEnrolled
Fall 2024Ginsburg, Shai 3.4Rate My ProfessorsQuality3.4Difficulty2.7Would retake25%Based on 7 ratingsClick to view on RMP →4.84.07.26

Instructor

Ginsburg, ShaiAMES
Also teaches
AMES-188FS GAMES AND CULTURE3.8CMAC-660S GAMES, PLAY, AND SELFHOOD3.8