Lynn Davidman
{{short description|American sociologist, b. 1955}}
{{Infobox academic
| name = Lynn Davidman
| image =
| image_size = 230px
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1955}}
| birth_place = New York, US
| occupation =
| education = B.A., psychology and religion, 1975, Barnard College
M.A., religion and psychological studies, 1978, University of Chicago Divinity School
PhD, sociology, 1986, Brandeis University
| thesis_title = Strength of tradition in a chaotic world: women turn to orthodox Judaism.
| thesis_year = 1986
| known_for =
| spouse = Neal Horrell
| children =
| awards = 1992 National Jewish Book Award for Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice
| notable_works =
| workplaces = University of Pittsburgh
Brown University
University of Kansas
}}
Lynn Rita Davidman (born 1955){{cite web |title=Davidman, Lynn 1955- |url=http://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n85276162/ |website=worldcat.org |accessdate=April 5, 2020}} is an American sociologist. She is the distinguished professor of modern Jewish studies and professor of sociology at the University of Kansas.
Early life and education
Davidman was born in New York City to a Modern Orthodox Jewish family.{{Cite web|date=2014-11-23|title=Leaving Orthodox Judaism Q&A with Lynn Davidman|url=https://blog.oup.com/2014/11/orthodox-judaism-lynn-davidman/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=OUPblog|language=en}} After her mother's death when she was 13 years old, Davidman began to question her religious upbringing, which caused a divide between her and her family.{{cite news|title=Grief|date=April 13, 1997|newspaper=Annapolis Sunday Capital|location=Maryland|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-apr-13-1997-1628809/}}{{free access}}
She majored in psychology and religion at Barnard College and later earned a master's degree from the University of Chicago Divinity School and PhD from Brandeis University in 1986.{{cite web |last1=Diffily |first1=Anne |title=My Mother, My Loss |url=https://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/articles/2007-12-28/my-mother-my-loss |website=brownalumnimagazine.com |accessdate=April 5, 2020 |date=December 28, 2007}}
Career
After earning her PhD, Davidman was hired as an assistant professor of sociology by the University of Pittsburgh.{{cite web |title=LYNN R. DAVIDMAN CV |url=https://sociology.ku.edu/sites/sociology.ku.edu/files/docs/Davidman%20PRO%20cv%20Feb162017.pdf |website=sociology.ku.edu |accessdate=April 5, 2020}} While there, she published Tradition in a Rootless World: Women Turn to Orthodox Judaism through the University of California Press. The book examined why secular women turn Orthodox by comparing the lives of those at a Lubavitch women's seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, with members of the Lincoln Square Synagogue.{{cite journal |last1=Heschel |first1=Susannah |title=Reviewed Work(s): Tradition in a Rootless World: Women Turn to Orthodox Judaism |journal=Shofar |date=Winter 1993 |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=168–170 |doi=10.1353/sho.1993.0005 |jstor=42941814 |s2cid=170286550 }} The book earned Davidman the 1992 National Jewish Book Award for Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice.{{cite web |title=Book awards: National Jewish Book Award |url=https://www.librarything.com/bookaward/National+Jewish+Book+Award |website=librarything.com |accessdate=April 5, 2020}}
She was subsequently hired at Brown University as an assistant professor of Judaic studies, American civilization, sociology, and women's studies. In this position, Davidman collaborated with Shelly Tenenbaum to co-author Feminist Perspectives on Jewish Studies through the Yale University Press. Their book examined the development of feminist scholarship in various fields within Jewish studies with a focus on gender.{{cite journal |last1=Baker |first1=Cynthia M. |title=Reviewed Work(s): Feminist Perspectives on Jewish Studies by Lynn Davidman and Shelly Tenenbaum; Gender and Judaism: The Transformation of Tradition by T. M. Rudavsky |journal=Shofar |date=Fall 1995 |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=141–144 |doi=10.1353/sho.1995.0125 |jstor=42942224 |s2cid=145051451 }}
She was shortly thereafter promoted to associate professor and began writing her following book, Growing Up Motherless: Stories of Lives Interrupted.{{cite news |last1=David |first1=William A. |title=LOSING MOM |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1997-09-28-9709240442-story.html |accessdate=April 5, 2020 |publisher=South Florida Sun Sentinel |date=September 28, 1997}} The book took her three years to gather data from 60 men and women from various backgrounds whose mothers died when they were 10 through 15 years old. The result of her lengthy research showed a common theme of feeling left out and religion not providing comfort in the face of loss.{{cite news |last1=Spratling |first1=Cassandra |title=New books published in praise of moms |url=https://journaltimes.com/lifestyles/leisure/new-books-published-in-praise-of-moms/article_345d7b98-642d-5071-bb86-87a1c3a240c1.html |accessdate=April 5, 2020 |publisher=Racine Journal Times |date=May 14, 2000}}
Davidman was promoted to professor of Judaic studies in 2002, a role she stayed in until 2008, when she joined the University of Kansas as their Robert M. Beren Distinguished Professor of Modern Jewish Studies and professor of sociology.{{cite web |title=KU names new Beren Distinguished Professor of Modern Jewish Studies |url=http://archive.news.ku.edu/2008/june/11/davidman.shtml |website=ku.edu |accessdate=April 5, 2020 |date=June 11, 2008}}
At the University of Kansas, Davidman conducted another research-based book titled Becoming Un-Orthodox: Stories of Ex-Hasidic Jews, where she surveyed 40 men and women born into ultra-Orthodox Hasidic communities who had become secular.{{cite journal |last1=Shrell-Fox |first1=Paul |title=Review of BECOMING UN-ORTHODOX: STORIES OF EX-HASIDIC JEWS |journal=Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion |date=December 11, 2015 |volume=54 |issue=3 |pages=628–629 |doi=10.1111/jssr.12203 }}{{cite magazine |last1=Robb |first1=Alice |title=Here's What Happens When Hasidic Jews Join the Secular World |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/119826/hasidic-jews-becoming-unorthodox-lynn-davidman-interview |magazine=The New Republic |accessdate=April 5, 2020 |date=October 14, 2014}} She took a sabbatical following the publication of her book.{{cite web |title=KU ANNOUNCES FACULTY SABBATICALS FOR 2015–16 |url=https://college.ku.edu/about/news/ku-announces-faculty-sabbaticals-2015-16 |website=college.ku.edu |accessdate=April 5, 2020 |date=May 8, 2015}}
Personal life
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davidman, Lynn}}
Category:University of Kansas faculty
Category:Barnard College alumni
Category:University of Chicago Divinity School alumni
Category:Brandeis University alumni
Category:Brown University faculty
Category:Princeton University faculty