What Is a Jewish Classicist?

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In recent years, the personal politics of academic institutions have sparked intense debate regarding access to education and the influence of identity on scholarship. This collection of essays from a prominent scholar of ancient Greece offers a thought-provoking exploration of these issues. It examines the role of personal voice in scholarship, the interplay of religion and cultural identity within academia, and the transformative nature of translation in engaging with ancient literature. The first essay addresses how scholars can discuss their positionality and its impact on their work, questioning whether anyone can narrate their own story with sufficient self-awareness and sophistication. The titular second essay adopts a socio-anthropological lens, investigating patterns of inclusion and exclusion in the classics discipline, particularly the historical marginalization of Jews and their gradual assimilation post-World War II. This discussion prompts critical reflections on contemporary issues of race and identity in academia and their broader societal implications. The third essay shifts focus to the technological aspects of the discipline, emphasizing translation as a crucial, transformative practice rather than a mere technique. It argues that each generation requires its own translations to redefine its relationship with antiquity, underscoring the evolving nature of scholarship in response to changing cultural conte