Denis Feeney (Classics) and Moulie Vidas (Religion and Judaic Studies) have been named the new Behrman Professors in the Humanities Council.
The appointment recognizes distinguished humanities scholars and dedicated teachers from within the University community. Behrman Professors serve a three-year term in the Program in Humanistic Studies, leading the Humanities Sequence and playing a leading role in the humanities at Princeton.
Feeney teaches a full range of undergraduate Latin courses, from Beginner’s Latin to upper-level reading courses. A regular participant in the Humanities Sequence, he will begin his three-year Behrman professorship in 2019-2020.
Vidas specializes in Talmudic culture in third- and fourth-century Palestine. He will be teaching in the Humanities Sequence starting in the academic year 2020-2021.
Esther Schor, Acting Chair of the Humanities Council and the inaugural Behrman Professor, is currently co-teaching the capstone seminar on the concept of “Witness.” She noted the outstanding contributions that Feeney and Vidas have already made to the Humanities Sequence.
“As Behrman Professors, they’ll each be directing the sequence as well as teaching in it for the entire year,” said Schor. “Future humanities students can look forward to their stellar lecturing and deep-dive seminars. The Behrman Professorship has revitalized the Sequence and provided students with increased continuity and close attention to their progress. There’s no doubt that Denis and Moulie will carry on this work with gusto. It’s wonderful to welcome these two marvelous colleagues into the Humanities Council community.”
The current Behrman Professor leading the Sequence is Jeff Dolven (English); he will teach the capstone seminar in Spring 2019 on the concept of “Voice.”
For the coming year, Efthymia Rentzou (French and Italian) will lead the faculty team and teach the full year of the Sequence as a Behrman Professor, followed by Yelena Baraz (Classics) in 2019-20.
