Strassler Center at Clark University

08/27/2026

Join our PhD Community!

We invite exceptional and motivated researchers to join our PhD program. Develop rigorous, original research alongside leading scholars and contribute to knowledge that shapes the field.

Read the Center's Call for Applicants below.

08/19/2026

Author Lecture: Inheritance: Love, Loss, and the Legacy of the Holocaust

Join authors Charlie Scheidt and Kat Rohrer for a thoughtful conversation about uncovering family secrets, confronting historical trauma, and exploring the lasting legacy of the Holocaust.

Scheidt, the grandson of Holocaust survivors, and Rohrer, the granddaughter of a N**i officer, share their deeply personal journeys in their acclaimed book, Inheritance: Love, Loss, and the Legacy of the Holocaust.

Their book is the recipient of the 2026 International Book Award for Nonfiction: Narrative and was awarded the 2026 IPPY Silver Medal for Autobiography/Memoir II (Coming of Age/Family Legacy).

Thursday, September 10, 2026
4:00 p.m.
Higgins Lounge, Dana Commons

If you are unable to attend in person, you can join via Zoom.

https://clarku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YTW0XYD6QUWHy_pNdCgW7g #/registration

A book signing (books will be available for purchase) and a reception will follow the lecture.

We hope you will join us!

08/11/2026

The Center’s Summer/Fall 2026 Newsletter is out!

Check it out for the latest news, updates, events, and highlights from the Center. We hope you enjoy reading!

https://www.clarku.edu/holocaust-and-genocide-studies/wp-content/uploads/sites/119/Summer-Fall-2026-Newsletter.pdf

06/29/2026

More accolades for Strassler Center Affiliated Professor and Associate Professor of History and the Michael and Lisa Leffell Chair in Modern Jewish History Dr. Elizabeth Imber! Her book, Uncertain Empire: Jews, Nationalism, and the Fate of British Imperialism, has been awarded the Salo Baron Prize by the American Academy for Jewish Research and was named a co-winner of the Shapiro Award for Best Book in Israel Studies by the Association for Israel Studies.

Congratulations, Dr. Imber, on these well-deserved honors!

https://aisisraelstudies.org/ais-2026-award-winners/
https://aajr.org/.../2025-baron-book-prize-awarded.../

2025 Baron Book Prize Awarded: Elizabeth E. Imber Posted on June 22, 2026 admin2021 The American Academy for Jewish Research is pleased to announce the winner of its annual Salo Baron Prize for the best first book in Jewish studies published in calendar year 2025. The prize honors: Elizabeth E. Imbe...

06/16/2026

Congratulations to the Center's incoming David P. Angel Chair, Dr. Ashley Valanzola, on the publication of her recent book, When She Remembered.

When She Remembered showcases an intertwined group of seven influential women, from well-known figures such as Simone Veil to memory activist Sabine Zlatin, who shaped the production of Holocaust memory in France from 1945 to the present.

https://www.amazon.com/When-She-Remembered-Transformed-Holocaust/dp/0253075815

We celebrate Dr. Valanzola’s important contribution to the study of memory, history, and the enduring legacy of Holocaust remembrance.

06/04/2026

As many of you may have heard, Thomas Kühne has stepped down as Director of the Strassler Center. He will return to his faculty and scholarly work, including a research sabbatical during the coming academic year. While it is bittersweet to see him leave this leadership role, we are pleased that he will have the opportunity to devote greater attention to his research and teaching.

At the same time, we are delighted that Ken MacLean will serve as Interim Director of the Center during the 2026–27 academic year.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs John Magee aptly captured Thomas's contributions:

“I want to express my sincere appreciation to Thomas Kühne for his service as Director. Over the past several years, he has provided steady and thoughtful leadership during a period of meaningful work and transition for the Center, including guiding the recently completed self-study. This has also been a time of broader challenge and heightened visibility for scholars and centers working in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and Thomas has led the Center with care, seriousness of purpose, and a deep commitment to its mission. This work has helped position the Center well as it prepares for its external review, and I am grateful for the strong foundation it provides.”

We extend our gratitude to Thomas for his dedicated leadership and many contributions to the Center. We also look forward to working with Ken as he guides the Center through the coming year and helps build upon this strong foundation.

05/19/2026

Congratulations to the Center’s student assistant, Jennifer Krulisz-Hossain, on earning her Master’s in Public Administration at yesterday’s graduation ceremonies. Over the past three years, Jen has been an invaluable part of the Center, and her dedication, professionalism, and positive spirit will be deeply missed by everyone. We are incredibly proud of all she has accomplished and have no doubt that she will continue on to do amazing things.

05/19/2026

Congratulations to our new PhD graduates! Dr. Hana Green, Dr. Diana Hayrapetyan, and Dr. Emil Kjerte (not pictured). We are so proud of your accomplishments.

05/14/2026

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Valanzola to the Strassler Center!

Dr. Ashley Valanzola has been appointed the inaugural David P. Angel Endowed Chair in Holocaust Pedagogy and Antisemitism Studies.

05/06/2026

Good conversations with Aleksandar Hemon, Frances Tanzer, Sandra Grudić '25, Alina Bojcic and Nitzan Lebovic