The Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan is pleased to announce its Fellowship Theme for 2014-2015: “Jews & Empires.”
The theme of “Jews and Empires” presents a good vantage point for comparative and interdisciplinary examination of aspects of political, economic, social, and cultural history, as well as comparative study of religions, arts and literatures, languages, historical geography and anthropology. It invites scholars of social sciences and humanities, as well as creative artists, to engage in productive dialogues across time and space. Questions to be considered include the possibilities of developing theoretical paradigms to describe the nature of Jewish-imperial relationships. In addition, the theme encourages scholars to explore specific issues related to the interactions of Jews and empires in particular geographic and historical contexts, from ancient Egypt to contemporary America. The “imperial turn” in Jewish Studies can offer new illuminating perspectives on such diverse range of issues as anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, Zionism and Jewish statehood, relationships among Judaism, Christianity and Islam, international trade and commerce.
The theme’s significance extends beyond traditional limits of Jewish studies. “Jews and Empires” invites applications touching upon the broader questions of minority status, ethnicity and identity, migration and mobility, diaspora, and power.
Application materials can be found here: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/judaic/institute/applications
The deadline for applications is October 4, 2013.