From Pre-Modern to Modern Perspectives in Judaic Studies
Principal inverstigator: Prof. Dr. Ronny Vollandt
Project coordinator: Marina Shcherbakova (M.Shcherbakova@lmu.de)
Funded by: Volkswagen Stiftung
Time frame: 2024-2028
The Volkswagen Momentum Fellowship Project aims to advance research on Jewish communities in the Near East during the early modern and modern periods (18th to 21st centuries), complementing the existing strong focus on the Middle Ages. The Fellowship is designed to bridge the traditionally segmented fields of pre-modern and modern Jewish history in the Near East, adopting an interdisciplinary perspective that encourages a continuous examination of Jewish Arabic cultures across time.
This integrated approach facilitates a understanding of cultural, historical and social phenomena diachronically, allowing scholars to explore how pre-modern developments shaped modern Jewish communities in the Near East and, conversely, how modern contexts illuminate the legacy of the past. The program welcomes applications from scholars specializing in Jewish Studies, Near Eastern Studies, history, philosophy, theology, law, cultural studies, linguistics, sociology, and related fields.
Structured to foster intellectual exchange, the Fellowship encourages close collaboration between fellows and the research team at LMU Munich, led by Prof. Dr. Ronny Vollandt. The Fellowship is committed to challenging Eurocentric and Ashkenazi-focused narratives in Jewish historiography by amplifying the voices and experiences of Mizrahi Jews, particularly those from Arabic-speaking countries.
