Shachar Pinsker, "Below the Line: The Feuilleton & Modern Jewish Cultures"

In this episode, host Jeremy Shere talks with Shachar Pinsker, a professor of Judaic and Middle East Studies at the University of Michigan, about the historical and contemporary relevance of the feuilleton–an arts and entertainment section of newspapers that during the 19th and 20th centuries became known as a Jewish genre of journalism. The discussion covers the origins of the feuilleton during the French Revolution, its development and popularity among Jewish writers across Europe, and the genre’s unique ability to address both lighthearted and critical societal issues. Pinsker elaborates on how the feuilleton allowed writers to explore sensitive political and social topics under the guise of light entertainment and reflects on the genre's continued importance in media studies. Explore Pinsker’s online collection of Feuilletons here.