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NEW
FACULTY |
JEWISH STUDIES IN THE NEWS
The Future of Jewish Liberalism
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Jewish
Studies at Vanderbilt
Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt offers an interdisciplinary academic program,
both undergraduate and at the Masters level, that facilitates the critical
study of Jewish history, religion, language, philosophy, politics, culture,
society, music, art, and literature across continents. The program accesses
the resources of the entire University to explore Jewish culture, its
evolution and expression from biblical times to the present. Jewish Studies
is a particularly worthwhile and effective area of study within a liberal
arts education, but also offers many points of entry to other areas of
knowledge. It is integral to understanding major moments in the formation
of Christianity and Islam as well as distinct episodes in the history
and the literatures of the modern Middle East, Europe, and America.
The
Interdisciplinary Approach
Students of all backgrounds will find in Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt
a wide array of material and methodologies, presented by scholars of exceptional
teaching ability from such disciplines as history, anthropology, sociology,
religious studies, philosophy, literature, and art. Additionally, students
will have access to a variety of courses offered by the professional schools
of business, divinity, education, law, medicine, and music. Approaching
this field from different disciplines expands the understanding of students
of the human experience. To sharpen their grasp of the field, students
will have access to the fine resources of the Zimmerman Judaica collection
as well as the opportunity to study abroad, pursue internships locally
or nationally, and research in archives overseas.
Strengths
Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt now has strengths in the biblical, classical,
medieval, and modern phases of Jewish life and is enriched by a number
of courses at Vanderbilt that include a significant component associated
with Judaism and the Jewish experience. As Jewish Studies fills presently
approved faculty positions, an even stronger display of subjects, seminars,
and classes will strategically complement present strengths across the
disciplines. Jewish Studies also works to facilitate student and faculty
research. Students will benefit from the program’s visiting scholars,
lectures, and conferences that aim to explore multiple perspectives current
in the study of Judaism.
Career
Paths
The interdisciplinary nature of Jewish Studies provides an excellent academic
foundation for a variety of rewarding career paths including professional
schools, such as law, medicine and business, and public administration,
government service, education, communal service, foreign service, ministry,
and rabbinate. The Jewish Studies major offers excellent preparation for
graduate studies including Religious Studies, International Relations,
History, Literature, Foreign Languages, Classics, Social Work, Social
Science, and Education, as it sharpens the analytic, linguistic, textual,
and methodological tools necessary for advanced research and teaching.