Category: Humanities and Social Sciences
How the ancient Romans spiced up their lives — pepper!May 13, 2019Whether it was for getting animals to mate or treating menstrual bleeding, the Romans found many unusual — and sometimes downright nasty — uses for the spice.
Israeli TV hits the big timeMay 6, 2019With shows like Fauda, Shtisel and Prisoners of War thrilling American viewers, scholar Shayna Weiss explains how Israeli TV developed and the role it plays in Israeli society and politics.
From Paris to Boston, the crucial role of fire chaplainsMay 1, 2019Rarely seen, fire chaplains often take enormous risks to provide support during disasters, such as the fire that claimed part of Notre Dame in Paris, write professors Wendy Cadge and Michael Skaggs.
Anthropology professor Sarah Lamb named a 2019 Andrew Carnegie FellowApril 23, 2019Professor of Anthropology Sarah Lamb, a cultural anthropologist who focuses on aging and gender, has been named a 2019 Andrew Carnegie Fellow. Lamb is the first Brandeis faculty member to receive a so-called “Brainy Award” from the program.
Shai Feldman, director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies and Brandeis professor of Politics, named president of Sapir CollegeApril 12, 2019
John Paul Lederach named winner of 2019 Gittler PrizeApril 10, 2019The renowned scholar, theorist and practitioner of peacebuilding and conflict transformation will visit campus in October.
Watch: Digging in DesfinaApril 8, 2019Brandeis students see ancient Greece come alive with a combination of digital humanities technology and digging in the dirt. Getting hands-on experience in archaeology helps students develop original research topics and fully immerse themselves in classical studies.
ISIS and the rise of gangster jihadismApril 2, 2019New research by terrorism expert Jytte Klausen shows how Europe's criminal underworld is feeding ISIS.
The sturgeon, the fish that changed historyApril 1, 2019In a talk, environmental historian Nancy Langston detailed the amazing role the animal has played in the development of the planet and the growth of human society.
Podcast: Jack E. Davis, PhD'94, on his Pulitzer Prize winning book, "The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea"March 26, 2019On a recent visit to campus, Davis discussed "Gulf," his next project on the history of the bald eagle, and provided some words of advice on how students of history can improve their own writing.
Alejandra Bonilla '21: 'I have a voice and I can use it. I feel like I have to'March 26, 2019The anthropology, international global studies and Latin American and Latino studies triple-major makes a difference by volunteering and attending numerous rallies and protests.
Anna Deavere Smith honored as 2019 Richman FellowMarch 22, 2019The celebrated actor and playwright visited Brandeis for a two-day residency.
Zosia Busé '20 wants to make an impactMarch 18, 2019Zosia Busé likes to keep herself busy on campus, but her heart and soul lies with one particular activity: Her work with 'deis Impact, the annual festival for social justice at Brandeis.
Santiago Montoya Palacios '19 wants to know: 'Will this help make a positive change in the world?'March 15, 2019No matter what he's doing, the sociology and Hispanic studies double-major keeps this central question in mind.
- How livestreaming became a terrorist's toolMarch 15, 2019
Brandeis politics professor Jytte Klausen comments on the use of livestreaming in the terrorist attacks carried out on two mosques in New Zealand.
- Brandeis to offer first of its kind precollege program in LGBTQIA+ scholarship and activismMarch 13, 2019
Noted photographer Judy Glickman Lauder speaks about the "Danish exception"March 11, 2019Photographer Judy Glickman Lauder G'11 spent years photographing concentration camps. Her new book “Beyond the Shadows” tells the story of the Danish rescue of 90 percent of its Jews in words and pictures. She spoke about her photography at Brandeis on March 11.
The 5 must-read books about American anti-SemitismMarch 6, 2019Jonathan Sarna, one of the country's preeminent historians of American Judaism, offers his recommendations for anyone interested in understanding how we got to where we are today.
WGBH series examines "Caste in America,” including at BrandeisFeb. 28, 2019Heller School professor Laurence Simon served as an advisor to a major new radio and web series looking at the impact of caste, the religious and social hierarchy of Indian society.
MFA acquires pieces from Brandeis exhibitionFeb. 27, 2019In a first for the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute and Israeli artist Tamar Paley, the Museum of Fine Arts acquired three pieces from a 2018 exhibition in the Kniznick Gallery.
Brandeis celebrates 50 years of African and African American studiesFeb. 11, 2019The 50th anniversary celebration of the African and African American studies department at Brandeis featured Angela Davis '65, Julieanna Richardson '76, H'16, Hortense Spillers, PhD'74 and more.
Video: Brandeis AAAS 50th anniversary commemorationFeb. 11, 2019Take a trip through the history of the African and African American studies department at Brandeis, which marked its 50-year anniversary milestone with a two-day academic symposium.
Photos: Alumni, students and faculty mark 50 years of AAASFeb. 11, 2019Re-live some of the best moments from the African and African American Studies department's 50th anniversary commemoration in this slideshow.
The scholarly journey of Hortense SpillersFeb. 1, 2019Hortense J. Spillers, PhD'74, professor of English at Vanderbilt University, reflects on her academic journey as she receives the Alumni Achievement Award.
Professor Eva Bellin in the Washington Post: Will Venezuela’s military back — or abandon — Maduro?Feb. 1, 2019In a co-written Op-Ed in the Washington Post, politics professor Eva Bellin says Venezuela's military won't be the only factor in determining the future of President Nicolas Maduro's regime.
A Brandeisian in the Massachusetts SenateJan. 29, 2019Becca Rausch '01 had little campaign experience. That didn’t stop her from defeating a four-term incumbent.
Explore social justice at this year’s 'deis IMPACT festivalJan. 28, 2019The annual festival of social justice runs Feb. 3 to 9.
Anna Deavere Smith named 2019 Richman FellowJan. 15, 2019The actor and playwright will visit campus for a two-day residency in March.
Jonathan Decter wins 2018 National Jewish Book AwardJan. 9, 2019The Jewish Book Council honored three literary works with Brandeis ties, including a book by near eastern and Judaic studies professor Jonathan Decter that won the 2018 National Jewish Book Award in Sephardic culture.
Redefining opioid addiction treatmentJan. 2, 2019Cindy Parks Thomas, PhD’00, is arguing vociferously to make medication treatments a mainstream option for opioid addiction.
Brandeis faculty awarded grants by National Endowment for the HumanitiesDec. 17, 2018In a new round of grants, the NEH announced $200,000 in funding for separate projects from Brandeis professors Wendy Cadge, Karen Desmond and Ralph Thaxton.
Stop-and-frisk on the way to schoolDec. 12, 2018Stop-and-frisk search and school safety are both subjects of frequent public debate, but there’s a place these two issues meet that hasn’t gotten much attention: On the journeys of city students to and from school.
Why Gary Samore isn’t worrying (so much) about the bombDec. 11, 2018A veteran arms control negotiator, Samore thinks we're doing a pretty good job at controlling the spread of nuclear weapons. Even with North Korea and Iran, he sees no reason to panic.
University Professor Anita Hill honored, profiledDec. 6, 2018On Dec. 6, University Professor Anita Hill was featured in a New York Times profile, and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce announced it would honor her with a major award.
A feminist guide to Jewish divorceDec. 5, 2018Traditional Jewish law requires a woman to get her husband's approval to end a marriage. Legal scholar Lisa Fishbayn Joffe advocates for a more egalitarian approach.
Building a stronger Jewish identityNov. 26, 2018Barry Shrage, one of the country’s leading Jewish leaders, explains how he plans to use his new post at Brandeis' Initiative for Jewish Identity to strengthen ties to Jewish religion, culture and learning.
Deerskin, the 17th century Japanese style trend with lasting effectsNov. 21, 2018Deerskin was a hot commodity in 17th and 18th century Japan, and it may have had effects that are still felt today.
The path to peace at your holiday tableNov. 20, 2018Nervous about family friction this Thanksgiving? Heller Professor Alain Lempereur, director of the master's program in conflict resolution and coexistence, offers five tips for handling conversations around hot topics.
Professors Wendy Cadge and Michael Skaggs on the changing role of chaplains in the USNov. 15, 2018In an Op-Ed for The Conversation, the two Brandeis professors examine the question: Why is chaplaincy growing when institutional religious affiliation is on the decline?
When World War I ended, the civil rights movement was just getting started Nov. 13, 2018On Nov. 11, 1918, World War I came to a close. Brandeis professor Chad Williams discusses the aftermath of the war for black people in America.
Brandeis University Press announces new partnership with the University of Chicago Press’s Chicago Distribution CenterNov. 12, 2018Brandeis University Press will partner with the University of Chicago Press for the distribution, marketing and sales of all existing and new titles under the Brandeis University Press imprint.
How will dads vote?Nov. 6, 2018New research suggests it may depend on whether they have a first-born daughter.
Brandeis Professor Jonathan Sarna on anti-Semitism in the aftermath of the Pittsburgh synagogue massacreNov. 6, 2018Is American anti-Semitism really distinctive from that of other diaspora countries? Just how worried should we be? In this Op-Ed from Tablet Magazine, University Professor Jonathan Sarna examines the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue.
A philosophical approach to politics: master’s student runs for office in MaineNov. 2, 2018
Brandeis professors on anti-SemitismOct. 29, 2018In the wake of the shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue, Professors Yehudah Mirsky and Len Saxe published pieces discussing the effects of modern anti-Semitism.
What do kids know about Israel? What should we teach them?Oct. 26, 2018Little research has been done on how Jewish kids’ views of Israel change over time - until now. A new project with from the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education aims to find out.
Lurie Institute for Disability Policy receives $4.375 million for Community Living Policy CenterOct. 23, 2018The five-year grant from the National Institute on Disability will establish a new research initiative aiming to improve policies and practices that promote community living outcomes for people with disabilities.
WATCH: Liberal Learning: Open Minds and Open Debate with Cornel West & Robert GeorgeOct. 22, 2018
Re-rooted: Wellington Prize takes professor Emilie Diouf homeOct. 12, 2018The professor of English made the best of a surprise cash prize by taking a trip home to Senegal with her young daughter, who had never been to her mother's home country before.
How the new Chaplaincy Innovation Lab is building a learning community for ministersOct. 10, 2018The Chaplaincy Lab, led by Professor Wendy Cadge and launched on Oct. 9, offers resources to chaplains of all faiths as they meet the changing face of American religious life. Read this report on the new organization in America Magazine.
Why was this great 16th-century female poet completely forgotten?Oct. 5, 2018In a new book, Professor of English Ramie Targoff introduces us to Vittoria Colonna, the embodiment of the Italian Renaissance.
Beverly Daniel Tatum awarded Gittler PrizeOct. 4, 2018In a lecture after receiving the prize, the renowned scholar made the case for structured dialogue as a tool to build empathy across racial divides.
This week: Beverly Tatum visits campus for Gittler PrizeOct. 1, 2018The renowned authority on racial identity and resegregation will deliver a lecture Oct. 3 on the Brandeis campus.
Stuart Altman named winner of National Academy of Medicine's Lienhard AwardSept. 25, 2018Altman, the Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, has been named winner of the 2018 Gustav O. Lienhard Award for leading health policy and services research in the U.S.
He doesn’t want people to have to walk in his shoesSept. 24, 2018DACA advocate Elias Rosenfeld won’t stop until immigrants like him secure their future.
Prof. Jill Greenlee in Washington Post: Having a daughter changes men’s political outlooks — if she’s firstbornSept. 14, 2018New research from Greenlee and colleagues has found that men whose first child is a girl are more likely to support policies that promote gender equity.
Monika Mitra selected as director of Lurie Institute for Disability PolicySept. 6, 2018Mitra brings over two decades of experience in conducting research on the health care experiences and health outcomes of people with disabilities.
Get to know this year's Diversity, Excellence and Inclusion ScholarsAug. 30, 2018The program at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences provides selected master’s students a full scholarship, a $10,000 stipend and health insurance.
This precollege culinary course is a cultural exploration through foodAug. 15, 2018Liz Alpern is the creator and co-instructor of Culinary Art and Anthropology, a course in the Genesis precollege program at Brandeis. She also attended Genesis as a high schooler.
The Crown Center and the Brookings Center for Middle East Policy Partner to Enhance Policy-Relevant Knowledge of the Middle EastAug. 9, 2018The Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University and the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution have announced a joint outreach project, commencing this September in Washington, DC.
Watch University Professor Anita Hill on 'Last Week Tonight'Aug. 4, 2018Host John Oliver interviewed Hill, who testified about sexual harassment before Congress nearly three decades ago, about today's #MeToo movement.
Provost Research Awards fund early-stage inquiry, teaching innovationJuly 25, 2018The Provost's Office has announced this year's recipients of the Provost Research Awards, given to support innovations in teaching and research at Brandeis. Some $500,000 was awarded to 43 projects selected from 94 proposals.
A look back at the Hollywood blacklistJuly 8, 2018Brandeis professor Thomas Doherty meticulously examined the events that led to the Hollywood blacklist in his new book, “Show Trial.” Doherty took some time to answer questions from BrandeisNOW.
Sententiae Antiquae examines the classically ridiculousJuly 6, 2018The project, started in 2011 by Brandeis professor Joel Christensen, excerpts passages from classical literature and explains them to the world.
Looking ahead: A Q&A with WSRC Director Karen HansenJune 21, 2018
Juneteenth: free at lastJune 18, 2018Juneteenth, celebrated each year on June 19, has Texas roots, as it's the state where news of emancipation came the latest. Read professor Carina Ray’s reflection and watch Dean of Students Jamele Adams’ read a portion of the Emancipation Proclamation.
TRII is growing immigration advocacy, and it's powered by Brandeis studentsJune 8, 2018Out of an unassuming office on Crescent Street in Waltham, The Right to Immigration Institute is helping immigrants navigate the legal system.
JTA: A groundbreaking project aims to study the Latin American Jewish experienceJune 8, 2018The Jewish Telegraphic Service featured the Hadassah Brandeis Institute's Project in Latin American Jewish & Gender Studies.
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