elfenbei@grinnell.edu
Campus Phone: 
(641) 269-4352
Fax: 
(641) 269-4414
Unit (Dept., Office, Center, etc.): 
History
Religious Studies
Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies
Position: 
Assistant Professor
On-Campus Address: 
1120 Park Street, Steiner Hall 201
Education / Degrees: 
Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
Primary Academic Interest: 
Study of Islam, Modern Middle East, religion and modernity

Caleb Elfenbein graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in political science, making his way to Harvard Divinity School for a Masters in Theological Studies, then to the University of California, Santa Barbara, for a Ph.D. in religious studies.  His research explores nineteenth and twentieth century colonial history in the Middle East and the reconfiguration of Islamic traditions during this same time.  Caleb's scholarly interests include modern Islam, gender in Islam, secularism, religion and modernity, colonial and postcolonial studies, religion and government, and modern intellectual history.

Lest you think that Caleb is all work and no play — he loves reading to his daughter Kiran, playing Scrabble, cooking, and imbibing anything having to do with baseball, too.

 

Courses He Will Be Teaching:

Fall 2010
HIS/REL 295-01: Special Topic: Islam and Modernity
REL 220-01: Traditions of Islam

Spring 2011
HIS 295-01: Special Topic: Modern Middle East
HIS/REL 295-02: Special Topic: Islam and Gender