Heather Miller Rubens
4th year PhD Student - History of Judaism, University of Chicago Divinity School
BA - Georgetown University (2001)
Graduate Diploma - Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies (2002)
MA - University of Chicago Divinity School (2004)
I came to both Jewish Studies and my own intellectual project in a roundabout fashion. Having attended Catholic school from elementary school through college, I wanted to know more about a religious tradition outside of my own. In my senior year at Georgetown, Tod Linafelt, my Hebrew Bible professor, suggested that I apply to the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish studies for a 1-year graduate degree. I was accepted, and trotted off to England, unaware that my life was taking a major turn.
While at Oxford, I encountered the works of Paul Mendes-Flohr and Michael Fishbane for the first time, and was inspired to continue my studies at the University of Chicago, as there I could profitably continue my inquiries into both Jewish and Christian thought. In my years here, I have asked and researched questions relating the experience of the Jewish community to other communities. Initially, these questions related to inter-religious dialogue, but my questions have turned both political and historical.
Now a graduate student of Paul Mendes-Flohr, I am exploring how the legacy of 19th century discourse on the Jewish Question has impacted 20th century discourse on the issue of minority rights, specifically rights of religious minorities. My current aim is to turn this project into my doctoral dissertation. While they may seem more suited to a history or political science department, fundamentally the questions I ask revolve around religion. My thoughts focus on the relationship between religion and government, and religion and political identity. Such interdisciplinary interests flourish at the University of Chicago, allowing me to discuss my ideas with faculty from various departments and access a variety of viewpoints on these issues.