This was originally published in my Substack, available here. I sometimes call myself a scholar of “Late Antiquity.” But what does that mean? There is nothing obvious or natural about how we name historical eras. Such names are both loaded and … [Continue reading] about What is “Late Antiquity”?
Can ChatGPT Read Ancient Texts?
This was originally published on my Substack, available here. For many years, I have been directing a project to make available the inscriptions that date from around 520 BCE - 620 CE (the Persian, Second Temple, and Rabbinic periods, using a Jewish … [Continue reading] about Can ChatGPT Read Ancient Texts?
Against Divestment at Brown University
In April, 2024, as at a few (mostly highly-selective) universities, student protesters encamped at Brown University. The encampments were set up on our main green, and while peaceful, they violated the student conduct code. The president of the … [Continue reading] about Against Divestment at Brown University
The Talmud
In addition to teaching my course on antisemitism this fall, I'll also be teaching a course on the Talmud (in English). The description is below, and the full downloadable syllabus, in pdf format, can be downloaded here. This course will … [Continue reading] about The Talmud
Antisemitism: A History
A course that I'm teaching in Fall, 2024, to undergraduates at Brown University: Antisemitism is sometimes called the "longest hatred," and today it is on the rise. This class examines both the how and the why. We will examine the origin and … [Continue reading] about Antisemitism: A History