Dakota Urban (Classics & Archeology) – Transcultural language in Diasporic Jewish Inscriptions

The diasporic (Jewish) experience is characterized by the dynamics of acculturation and enculturation; a twofold process entailing a degree of integration into the majority culture and at the same time a strong retention of the Jewish identity. The primary purpose of Dakota’s thesis is to demonstrate how diasporic Jewish communities in the Graeco-Roman world adapted to different contexts in which they were the minority, while cultivating their identity within these contexts and making it accessible and receptive for non-Jews. To achieve this, Dakota explores how transcultural language in Greek-language inscriptions expresses the Jewish identity in a manner fitting both the boundaries of Judaism and the larger societal framework of the Graeco-Roman world. For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.