Andrea Dara Cooper
دانشیار · Modern Jewish thought
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hillمعرفی
Andrea Dara Cooper serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds the Leonard and Tobee Kaplan Scholar in Modern Jewish Thought and Culture position. She earned her Ph.D. from New York University and B.A. from the University of King's College.
- Ph.D., New York University
- B.A., University of King's College
Her research operates at the intersection of Jewish thought, cultural theory, and continental philosophy, with particular emphasis on gender analysis within twentieth-century Jewish philosophy. Cooper's groundbreaking work examines kinship metaphors in ethical frameworks of thinkers like Rosenzweig and Levinas, while her current project investigates post-Shoah ethics and animality. She teaches foundational courses including 'Introduction to Jewish Studies,' 'Modern Jewish Thought,' and 'Post-Holocaust Ethics and Theology,' consistently integrating gender studies across her curriculum.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals a sustained focus on the intersections between Jewish philosophy, gender theory, and human-animal relationships, with increasing attention to post-Holocaust ethical frameworks. Her scholarship demonstrates methodological innovation through blending continental philosophy with religious studies and critical theory.
- Carolina Center for Jewish Studies Course Development Grant (2024)
- Association for Jewish Studies First Book Subvention Prize (2019)
- Fellow, Holocaust Educational Foundation of Northwestern University (2020)
- NYU-Cambridge Mainzer Visiting Fellowship (2010)
Cooper actively shapes her field through leadership roles as co-chair of the American Academy of Religion's Study of Judaism Unit, steering committee member for the Animals and Religion Unit, and board member of the Association for Jewish Studies Women's Caucus. Her grant portfolio includes multiple Carolina Center for Jewish Studies awards supporting innovative course development in Jewish gender studies and popular culture. She maintains significant engagement with academic communities through invited lectures at Oxford, American Jewish University, and Brandeis University.
