My early research offered a reconsideration of the Nazi regime’s anti-Jewish violence by analyzing and documenting how state-organized linguistic violence helped to create a political culture in which mass murder became possible. Working within the framework of discourse analysis, I examined the violence of official, antisemitic Nazi government categories and how such linguistic practices preceded, accompanied, and made possible the physical violence against European Jewry. Inevitably, this state-level instigation affected how Jewish community members used language to navigate between their social worlds and identities—and ultimately to fight for their own lives. When conducting research, I was struck by the frequency with which Jews in the Nazi state reached across national borders in support of their often global struggles. My subsequent research, thus, turned to a reconsideration of the spatial terms of analysis that conventional Holocaust historiography had largely limited to the confines of nation-states. My work demonstrates the widespread existence of trans-territorial transfers and even networks, which connected German-Jewish communities not only to co-religionists across Europe, but far beyond the continent. My work al centers on how Jewish émigré newspapers in Asia mediated transnational transfers that aided, but repeatedly also undermined readers’ struggles against persecution. These distinctly transnational dynamics extended to petitioning practices by European Jews. Far from acts carried out in vain, these petitioning practices, my research shows, emerged as pivotal tools to redress grievances and appeal for support in the struggle for survival. Even “failed” entreaties often gave their authors invaluable time to flee or go into hiding. In fact, Jewish Holocaust-era petitions, which numbered in the tens of thousands, underscore the need to reevaluate the very question of European Jewish agency faced with seemingly impossible odds.
keywords
Central European history, historical methodology and theory, and transnational history
HIST 1830 - Global History of Holocaust and Genocide
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
Examines the interplay of politics, culture, psychology and sociology to try to understand why the great philosopher Isaiah Berlin called the 20th century, "The most terrible century in Western history." Our focus will be on the Holocaust as the event that defined the concept of genocide, but we will locate this event that has come to define the 20th century within ideas such as racism, imperialism, violence, and most important, the dehumanization of individuals in the modern world. Same as JWST 1830 and RLST 1830.
HIST 3012 - Seminar in Modern European History
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2023
Capstone seminars are designed for advanced history majors to pull together the skills they have honed in previous courses. This seminar focuses on modern European history, and will include readings and discussions in a small seminar setting. In relation to the course topic, students will develop an individual research project and write a substantial and original paper based on primary sources. Recommended restriction: History GPA of 2.0 or higher.
HIST 4348 - Topics in Jewish History
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2022
Covers topics in Jewish history from biblical beginnings to present day. Topics vary each semester. Consult the online Schedule Planner for specific topics. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours within the degree. Recommended prerequisite: HIST 1818 or JWST 1818 or HIST 1828 or JWST 1828 or HIST 1308 or JWST 2350 or other course work in Middle Eastern or Jewish History. Same as JWST 4348.
JWST 1830 - Global History of Holocaust and Genocide
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
Examines the interplay of politics, culture, psychology and sociology to try to understand why the great philosopher Isaiah Berlin called the 20th century, "The most terrible century in Western history." Our focus will be on the Holocaust as the event that defined the concept of genocide, but we will locate this event that has come to define the 20th century within ideas such as racism, imperialism, violence, and most important, the dehumanization of individuals in the modern world. Same as HIST 1830 and RLST 1830.
JWST 3930 - Internship in Jewish Studies
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024
Learn beyond the classroom by interning in a local non-profit organization that connects with the Program in Jewish Studies through its mission and/or program. Interns will attend class to learn about work place ethics, professional development and leadership skills through a Jewish Studies lens. Interns will be supervised by the faculty member of record as well as the employer housing the intern. Recommended prerequisites: HEBR 2350 or JWST 2350 or HIST 1818 or JWST 1818 or HIST 1828 or JWST 1828. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours.
JWST 4348 - Topics in Jewish History
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2022
Covers topics in Jewish history from biblical beginnings to present day. Topics vary each semester. Consult the online Schedule Planner for specific topics. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours within the degree. Same as HIST 4348.
RLST 1830 - Global History of Holocaust and Genocide
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
Examines the interplay of politics, culture, psychology and sociology to try to understand why the great philosopher Isaiah Berlin called the 20th century, "The most terrible century in Western history." Our focus will be on the Holocaust as the event that defined the concept of genocide, but we will locate this event that has come to define the 20th century within ideas such as racism, imperialism, violence, and most important, the dehumanization of individuals in the modern world. Same as HIST 1830 and JWST 1830.
