Jews and Media
In today's media-saturated world, understanding the impact of media on Jewish life and culture is more important than ever before. In recent years, scholars of Jewish Studies have broadened their scope beyond traditional textual analysis to encompass the study of various media, from the historical artifacts of manuscripts and scrolls to books, newspapers, magazines, recordings, film, television, and digital technologies. This fellowship year at the Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies will explore the intersection of Jewish Studies and Media Studies and the relationships between Jews, Jewishness, Judaism, and media.
We seek to understand the roles Jews have played in the production, distribution, and consumption of media throughout history, and to study the representation of Jews in various media, both old and new. By including a broad range of media, we aim to examine the dynamic relationship between Jews and media; the role of media in Jewish/non-Jewish relations, as well as in shaping concepts of Jewishness globally. We invite projects that explore the subject through a variety of perspectives: the evolving boundaries of religious traditions, ideas of belonging, migration, nationalism, capitalism, race, gender, and the transformations of Israel and the diaspora.
The “Jews and Media” fellowship year will explore these questions:
What can Jewish Studies learn from Media Studies and vice versa?
How have different media shaped the Jewish public sphere and fostered connections or
divisions among Jews and non-Jews, as well as among Jews of diverse backgrounds?
How have Jews adapted certain media and how have these media contributed to the
construction of Jewishness? Likewise, how have Jews been represented in different media, and
how have these representations influenced public perceptions?
What is the role of the media in discussions of the real or perceived influential position of Jews
in media production?
We invite scholars, experts, and practitioners from an array of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences to join us in this multidisciplinary exploration. We encourage applicants to consider questions of diversity, inclusion, and the voices that are amplified or marginalized in different media contexts.
Fellowship applications are accepted from both tenured and untenured faculty as well as from recent Ph.D.’s without a tenure-track position and professors emeriti. Where appropriate, applications are accepted from independent artists, documentary filmmakers, and writers. For these non-academic applicants, a B.A. degree is required and a graduate degree is encouraged.
We encourage all applicants to apply for a full academic year, September - April. We also offer a limited number of single-term fellowships under special circumstances (please explain). Fall term runs September-December and Winter Term runs January-April. Fellows can serve no more than two terms within a period of four years.
The Frankel Institute is structured as a full-year residential fellowship; however, alternative arrangements may be available. If you are unable to reside in Ann Arbor and would like to request alternative arrangements, please explain.
Application Review Process
The selection committee reads all applications. Once an applicant is selected for the long list, they will be contacted to schedule a short interview (via Zoom). Final announcements regarding selected fellows and waitlisted fellows will be made in late February.
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.
