Ken Koltun-Fromm

Ken Koltun-Fromm is a Professor of Religion at Haverford College, where he has taught since 1997, mirroring his own undergraduate experience as a religion major there. He specializes in modern Jewish thought, material culture, and the intersection of religion with comics and graphic narratives. His courses include 'Material Religion in America' and 'Reading Comics and Religion,' co-taught with Swarthmore’s Yvonne Chireau. He has authored four books, including groundbreaking works on Jewish authenticity and material culture. Koltun-Fromm co-organized a symposium on 'Sacred Texts and Comics,' attracting national scholars, and collaborates on an edited volume with the Israeli Cartoon Museum, exploring comics across world religions.

• Education: B.A. in Religion from Haverford College (1988)

His research emphasizes how material objects, rituals, and visual media shape religious identity. He pioneered a course requiring students to create religious comic narratives, exhibited in a campus symposium. Collaborations include a student co-author (Maddie Backus) and跨-institutional teaching partnerships. Beyond academia, he collects objects like prayer rugs and dolls used in classroom projects, reflecting his research interests.

He has no listed scientific awards but is noted for innovative pedagogy and interdisciplinary scholarship. His advising and grants focus on student-faculty research partnerships, exemplified by his work with Maddie Backus on calligraphy in Craig Thompson’s Habibi. He also co-curates projects blending religious studies with graphic arts.