“It’s not only through learning that we can express who we are as Jews.”— Professor William Kolbrener

Have the humanities become a supportive platform or mirror for fundamentalist modes of thinking, rather than an antidote?

Over the past few decades, the humanities have undergone a major shift. Has a new dogmatic focus on “correcting” discourse stifled academic curiosity and exploration? Are the dogmas of the left and right more closely related than we think?

This episode of the Living Jewishly Podcasts is an instalment of What Would You Do?, a podcast about ethical issues in our modern world. Dr. Elliott Malamet speaks with Professor William Kolbrener, professor of English Literature at Bar Ilan University in Israel, about the evolution of reading communities, the problems surrounding the rise of the safe space, and the differences between teaching in North America and teaching in Israel.

“I feel betrayed by the left — I don’t feel betrayed by the right, I always knew the right didn’t have my interests in mind.”— Professor William Kolbrener

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌

• Why and when the shift in the humanities began to occur — and how this legacy is playing out today
• Whether the language of self-interested modernity is antithetical to maintaining a traditional community
• What modern students are seeking — and craving — in their educational experiences

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:52 Intro

03:00 Reading communities now & then

06:00 Legacy of 16th & 17th century humanists

08:01 The shift of the humanities

12:09 Charedi world

14:35 Free interpretations v. un-free lived experiences

17:10 Destined for greatness

19:31 Modernity v. traditional communities

23:01 What modern students are craving

28:09 Teaching the humanities in Israel

31:00 Fate of the humanities

32:10 Conclusion

Links:‌ ‌

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Shalom!