The Humanities Council is pleased to announce that Yair Mintzker, Professor of History, will become the next Behrman Professor in the Humanities, starting his three-year term in Spring 2022. The appointment recognizes distinguished humanities scholars and dedicated teachers from within the University community. Behrman Professors will lead the Interdisciplinary Approaches to Western Culture (HUM 216-219) and play a leading role in building community among students in the interdisciplinary humanities certificate program.
Mintzker will succeed Professor of Classics Yelena Baraz, whose term will end this year, and will join Denis Feeney and Moulie Vidas as one of three Behrman Professors. Like many faculty members who have taught this course, Mintzker recognizes the unique community that is formed among students and instructors.
“In many respects, my teaching in Interdisciplinary Approaches to Western Culture in the 2019-2020 academic year was a transformative experience. No other class I taught since arriving in Princeton in 2009 made me feel more at home. The students were absolutely phenomenal–the best of the best–and working with colleagues from sister humanities departments taught me more than I can put into words,” says Mintzker.
The intensive and year-long HUM 216-219 sequence is known for its sizeable reading list, but Mintzker is excited to dive in, adding, “Above all else were the readings themselves: at once strange and familiar, elevating and depressing, inspiring and outright dangerous. I loved every minute of the course, and I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm with students and colleagues.”
Mintzer will begin his teaching for the Program in Humanistic Studies with Behrman Professor Moulie Vidas in the academic year 2021-22 and will lead the faculty team in the academic year 2022-2023.
