Professor Federica Francesconi (SUNY Albany) will deliver the keynote lecture for the "Making Space: Peopling and Placing the Matter of Jewish Studies" conference. This keynote is open to the public and can be attended in-person or virutally via Zoom. Register to attend this keynote via Zoom.

Keynote: "Marginalities, Silences, and Anxieties in Jewish Studies"

This lecture builds upon the exploration of previously unknown lives in early modern Jewish communities and the voices Francesconi has uncovered from various archives. Its aim is to illuminate the possibilities of connecting early modern and modern Jewish history by uncovering overlooked perspectives, silent narratives, and underlying anxieties within the field of Jewish studies. The discussion encompasses diverse subjects such as record-keeping practices, archival methods, the historical dimension of emotions, the sensorial experience, shifts in material culture, and the application of anthropological theories, particularly those related to vibrant materialism, spatial considerations, and the potential for interdisciplinarity and innovative methodologies.

Federica Francesconi is Associate Professor of History and Director of the Judaic Studies Program at the University at Albany, SUNY. Her research and publications address the social, religious, and cultural aspects of the early modern history of Jews in Italy, focusing on the multifaceted politics and dynamics of ghetto life. She has held fellowships in Europe, Israel, and the United States. She served as Viterbi Visiting Professor in Mediterranean Jewish Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, and has been a fellow at the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies. 

"Making Space: Peopling and Placing the Matter of Jewish Studies" conference is open to Cornell University faculty, students and staff. Registration is required to attend the conference: Schedule and conference registration information.