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CENTER FOR JUDAIC STUDIES
University of Pennsylvania
Post Doctoral Fellowships 1999-2000
Application Deadline November 30, 1998
HEBRAICA VERITAS? CHRISTIAN HEBRAISTS, JEWS, AND THE STUDY OF JUDAISM IN
EARLY MODERN EUROPE
>From the fifteenth to the eighteenth century, Christian scholars,
sometimes in collaboration with contemporary Jews, played an important
role in laying the foundations for the modern study of Judaism. In
1999-2000, the Center for Judaic Studies will study the assumptions,
methods, and accomplishments of these remarkable individuals, paying
special attention to the political, religious, and intellectual contexts
in which they worked and to the often unstated presuppositions that
guided them. We hope to reconstruct a vital chapter in the intellectual
and cultural history of Western civilization, to shed new light on the
complex relations between Jews and Christians, and to identify the
origins of lasting tendencies and tensions that still characterize the
modern study of Judaism. We will explore such questions as: How did the
Christian study of Jewish literature affect perceptions of "Otherness"
as well as Christian self-understanding; how did Christian Hebraism
relate to the emergence of the modern study of cultural anthropology and
comparative religion; and what was its impact on Jews and their
self-perceptions? While the focus will be primarily on the early
modern era, students of this subject in earlier periods (especially the
patristic and medieval) are encouraged to apply.
The Center invites applications from scholars engaged in all fields of
Judaic studies and from scholars in other fields interested in
approaching the topic from a comparative and interdisciplinary
perspective. Only applications whose research topics fall within the
chosen theme will be considered. Outstanding graduate students in the
final stages of writing their dissertations may also apply. Stipend
amounts are based on a Fellow's academic standing and financial need with
a maximum of $30,000 for the academic year. A contribution may also be
made towards travel expenses. Awards will be announced on January 30, 1999.
For application material and further information, write to:
Secretary, Fellowship Program
Center for Judaic Studies
420 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19106
Telephone: 215-238-1290 * Fax: 215-238-1540
Email: [log in to unmask] (Sheila Allen)
--
Robert A. Kraft, Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania
new office address: 227 Logan Hall (Philadelphia PA 19104-6304)
[log in to unmask]
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/kraft.html
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