Deidre Butler

Deidre Butler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Religion at Carleton University, part of the College of the Humanities. She holds degrees from Concordia University (B.A., M.A., Ph.D.). Her research focuses on intersections of religion, ethics, and feminist thought, particularly in modern Jewish contexts. She currently directs the Max and Tessie Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies and chairs the Developing Leadership Program and the Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship.

• Education: B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (Concordia University)

Her research explores modern Jewish life and thought, emphasizing critiques of narratives that marginalize gendered and embodied experiences. Current projects include an interdisciplinary ethnographic study on Jewish religious divorce in Canada, collaborating with Professor Betina Appel Kuzmarov. This investigates Get abuse and its intersection with civil divorce negotiations.

Her publications analyze Jewish feminist ethics, Holocaust literature, and contemporary Jewish women’s spiritual practices. Methodologically, she combines ethnography with theological and artistic analysis.

• Awards: None explicitly listed

As an academic leader, she oversees multiple interdisciplinary initiatives within the Zelikovitz Centre. Her work bridges religious studies, gender studies, and legal/ethical frameworks, contributing to both scholarly discourse and community engagement.