Caleb Elfenbein

Caleb Elfenbein is a Professor of Religious Studies and History at Grinnell College, where he also serves as Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. His academic work explores human welfare, colonial and postcolonial Muslim communities, Islamophobia in the United States, and intersections of race and history.

• PhD, Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara (2009)
• MTS, Harvard Divinity School (2001)
• BA, Political Science, Vassar College (1998)

Elfenbein’s research spans debates about well-being in Muslim communities, anti-Muslim sentiment in America, and public-facing scholarship. He developed Mapping Islamophobia, a digital humanities tool, and authored Fear in Our Hearts: What Islamophobia Tells Us about America (NYU Press). His recent work engages James Baldwin’s theories on race and history.