News
Congratulations to our award-winning faculty, graduate students, and staff!
Apr. 23, 2024 – We’re proud to share that Dr. Brandon McCormack, Flora K. Schildknecht, and Meg Kennedy have all won awards—and James Richie was an award finalist—in recognition of their contributions to the College of Arts & Sciences, the University of Louisville, and the wider community!
Kelly E. Hill (PhD in Humanities, 2021) publishes debut novel
Mar. 19, 2024 – Congratulations to Dr. Kelly E. Hill on the publication of her debut novel, “A Home for Friendless Women (Vintage).” Dr. Hill notes, “I’ve been a creative writer for most of my adult life, but this book asked something new and challenging of me, and I have the Ph.D. program to thank for that." Besides her work as a creative writer, she currently teaches as a Part-Time Lecturer in the Comparative Humanities and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Departments.
Celebrating the Second Annual Annette Allen Poetry Prize
Feb. 24, 2024 – The Second Annual Annette Allen Poetry Prize Reading at the Fifty-First Louisville Conference on Literature and Culture celebrated the poetry of five awarded student writers: runners up Kel Proctor and Logan Funderburg (both of Bellarmine University); honorable mentions Preeti Tanwani (UofL) and Eddie Hickerson (Kentucky College of Art + Design); and prize winner Clare Kramer (Bellarmine University).
UofL research team receives Louisville Metro Government grant to write history of policing in Louisville
Jan. 30, 2024 – Drs. Felicia Jamison (History and Comparative Humanities), Siddhant Issar (Political Science), and Catherine Fosl (Emerita, WGST), as well as student researchers Mya Todd, Ethan Gorton, and Isabella Johnson, recently completed a report titled, “The History of Policing in Louisville: A Fact-Finding Report on Institutional Harms.” This study originated in the Truth & Transformation Initiative sponsored by Louisville Metro Government’s Office of Equity. Researchers received additional support from the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research.
CCHS establishes first consortium of humanities centers and departments across Kentucky’s public universities
Jan. 19, 2024 – Dr. Mary P. Sheridan, Director of CCHS, and Drs. Pamela Beattie and Simona Bertacco, faculty in the Department of Comparative Humanities, have been awarded a Membership Activity Fund Grant by the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes in support of their proposal to establish the Humanities as the Common Wealth of Kentucky, a consortium of humanities centers and departments across Kentucky’s public universities.
Dr. Cruz’s collaborative project on Chatino language selected for 2024 Watson Conference
Dec. 19, 2024 – “Reawakening: Reclaiming Chatino Prayers and Political Speech,” a collaborative project facilitated by Dr. Hilaria Cruz and others, will be one of twelve collaborative projects featured at the 2024 Watson Conference. Scheduled for March 7–9, the hybrid project will produce collaborative translations of Chatino prayers into English and Spanish.
Comparative Humanities instructors recognized as Student Champions, for teaching excellence
Aug. 21, 2023 – Members of the Department of Comparative Humanities have been recognized as Student Champions and for their commitment to teaching excellence.
Congratulations to our award-winning faculty and staff!
Apr. 26, 2023 – We’re proud to share that Dr. Simona Bertacco, Dr. Hilaria Cruz, and Joshua Boydstun have all won awards in recognition of their contributions to the College of Arts & Sciences, the University of Louisville, and the wider community!
In the news: Public humanities students unearth history buried beneath Oxmoor Farm
Apr. 18, 2023 – Dr. Felicia Jamison’s Introduction to Public Humanities class was featured in a WHAS11 news story about an archaeological excavation at Oxmoor Farm, which is uncovering the lives of those who were enslaved there.
Endangered Languages in Louisville Political Review
Mar. 30, 2023 – “Dwindling Voices: Endangered Languages in Our Communities and Around the World,” an article written by Dr. Hilaria Cruz and students in her Endangered Languages class (LING 590), has just been published in the “Louisville Political Review,” UofL’s premier nonpartisan student publication.
Drs. Katie Kleinkopf and Natalie Polzer named 2023–2024 Bingham Faculty Fellows
Feb. 27, 2023 – The Commonwealth Center for the Humanities and Society (CCHS) has selected Drs. Katie Kleinkopf and Natalie Polzer, from the Department of Comparative Humanities, as two of the six Bingham Faculty Fellows for 2023–2024. The fellows will conduct and present research on the theme “Bodies and Embodiment,” play a significant role in shaping CCHS programming, and receive stipends for travel and research. Congratulations, Drs. Polzer and Kleinkopf!
In the news: Jewish Studies programs aren’t just for Jews
Jan. 27, 2023 – Our Jewish Studies Program and its director, Dr. Ranen Omer-Sherman, were recently featured in a story about Jewish Studies in the commonwealth, published by “Community,” the Jewish Community of Louisville’s official newspaper.
Introducing Dr. Felicia Jamison, Assistant Professor of History & Comparative Humanities
Dec. 12, 2022 – We are delighted to share that Dr. Felicia Jamison joined the Department of Comparative Humanities and History this past Fall! Her research and teaching focus on nineteenth- and twentieth-century African American history, public history, and public humanities. Additionally, she will oversee the MA Track in Public Humanities.
In the news: Dr. Michael Johmann swims Scotland’s Loch Lomond
Aug. 19, 2022 – As Michael Johmann welcomes his Comparative Humanities students this Fall, it will mark his thirty-fifth year teaching at the University of Louisville. What those students may not realize is that their professor just became the first American male, and the oldest overall, to swim the Loch Lomond, a 21.6-mile freshwater loch in Scotland.
Ten Comparative Humanities instructors recognized as Student Champions
Aug. 2, 2022 – Ten members of the Department of Comparative Humanities have been recognized as Student Champions by interim president Lori Stewart Gonzalez and interim provost Gerry Bradley.
UofL dedicates the Susan and William Yarmuth Jewish Studies Reading Room
Mar. 23, 2022 – A special celebration of the University of Louisville and the community was held March 20 at the dedication and official unveiling of the Susan and William Yarmuth Jewish Studies Reading Room.
Dr. Hilaria Cruz shares endangered-language books worldwide
Feb. 21, 2022 – A series of Chatino-language books created by Dr. Hilaria Cruz, Assistant Professor of Comparative Humanities, and her linguistics students are now on display in the lobby of Ekstrom Library, in honor of United Nations International Mother Language Day (February 21).
Dr. Brandon McCormack named the new Director of the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research
Aug. 1, 2021 – We’re proud to announce that Dr. Brandon McCormack, Associate Professor of Pan-African Studies and Comparative Humanities, has been named the new Director of the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research!
Jewish Studies Reading Room slated for Fall dedication
Jun. 26, 2021 – The long-awaited Jewish Studies Reading Room is about to become a reality, thanks to a gift by Susan and William Yarmuth. The Yarmuths’ gift will be used to “build out” the 2,800-square-foot space on the third floor of Ekstrom Library, adding shelves, chairs, and tables, but also to set up an endowment for maintaining the room and growing the collection.
Thirteen Comparative Humanities instructors recognized as Student Champions
Jun. 25, 2021 – Thirteen members of the Department of Comparative Humanities have been recognized as Student Champions by UofL president Neeli Bendapudi and provost Lori Stewart Gonzalez.
