University of Pennsylvania Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2016–2017, HERBERT D. KATZ CENTER FOR ADVANCED JUDAIC STUDIES, ‘Political Ramifications: Expanding Jewish Political Thought’

About the Fellowship

The Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania seeks to expand the study of Jewish political thought during the 2016–2017 academic year. The Center invites applications from scholars working across fields from ancient to contemporary, particularly projects that:

• Enlist philosophy and theory to unsettle regnant paradigms of power and statehood;
• Draw on archival research to challenge established understandings of Jewish political history; or
• Make use of other less expected sources for political thought.

Research Themes

• Intersections with Religion and Culture: How does Jewish political thought address the entanglement between religion and politics? Can and should political debates inform the development of Jewish theology, and can Jewish theology provide conceptual resources for tackling political problems?
• Comparative Study: How do categories and concepts from general political theory inform Jewish traditions of authority and membership? What can Jewish thought contribute to wider debates about sovereignty, allegiance, and citizenship?
• Law as Politics: Projects may explore questions spanning law and politics, such as governance, jurisdiction, and Halakhah. They may investigate the politics of those who develop Jewish legal traditions or the relationship between those traditions and their political contexts.
• Finding the Political in the Local and the Everyday: What insights emerge from applying political theory to Jewish life in local contexts, including family, city, school, and congregation?

Eligibility

The Katz Center invites applications from scholars in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts at all levels, as well as outstanding graduate students in the final stages of writing their dissertations.

Stipend

Stipend amounts are based on academic standing and financial need, with a maximum of $60,000 for the academic year.

Timeline

Application deadline: November 1, 2015. Recipients will be notified by March 1, 2016.