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Madeline L

- Research Program Mentor

PhD candidate at Harvard University

Expertise

Religious studies, modern European history, memory studies

Bio

Born and raised in Washington state, I received my BA from Whitman College in Religious Studies. My undergraduate thesis investigated Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theology as it informed his resistance to the Nazi regime. After graduation, I worked for a number of years in opera stage management, before returning to graduate school to get my Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School. My master's thesis examined how the Nazi narrative of history utilized the traditionally religions concept of "eternal" in propaganda films. In the fall, I begin my PhD studies at Harvard University, where my interests continue to revolve around nationalism, the intersection of religious and secular rhetorics and spaces, the history of Nazi Germany, and issues of collective memory and memorialization. I continue to have a soft-spot for opera, music, and theater, as well as twentieth century German philosophy.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Religion in US Politics

Although we always hear "separation of church and state," religion in US politics pops up in myriad ways: for instance, in groups that are traditionally recognized as religious, in rhetoric that evokes religion, and in a kind of "civil religion" of democracy. A project in this realm could focus on current news coverage of religion (or, as I like to say, instances of religious phenomena) or on a more historical approach to the question of the intersection of religion and politics! It could take the form of an op-ed, an article, or an academic essay.

Remembering History

How does a collective preserve and pass on memory of their communal history? My research has asked this question in relation both to Germany post-World War I and to Holocaust memory globally, although this is an important issue to examine for any group or historical event. Questions we could apply to your topic of interest include: What stories are told about the past and what are the ramifications for the future? What are the ethical considerations? What are the limits and possibilities of non-documentary (i.e. artistic) representation? These are deep questions that we could explore together. This project could manifest as an op-ed, a creative project, or an academic essay.

Nazi Germany and the Holocaust

Are you interested in learning about the history of the Nazi government or the Holocaust? Topics for examination could include: the Nazi approach to propaganda and ideology, issues of antisemitism or fascism, the concentration camps, or anything else that you think is interesting and important. Final products could be essays or creative projects.

Languages I know

Spanish, German

Credentials

Education

Whitman College
BA Bachelor of Arts (2015)
Religious studies
Harvard University
MA Master of Arts candidate
Religion, Ethics, and Politics
Harvard University
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Religion, subfields Europe and History

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