Bryan Kirschen

Bryan Kirschen is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at Binghamton University, with joint appointments in the Linguistics Program and the Translation Research and Instruction Program (TRIP). He also serves as affiliated faculty in Judaic Studies. His research focuses on Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) sociolinguistics, language contact, and Sephardic studies, with a focus on endangered language documentation and community engagement.

Education:

• PhD in Linguistics, University of California, Los Angeles
• MAT in Education, Stony Brook University
• MA in Spanish, Middlebury College
• BA and MA in Judaic Studies, Binghamton University

Research: Kirschen’s work explores sociolinguistic dynamics of Judeo-Spanish in diaspora communities, language ideology among Sephardic populations, and the intersection of language and identity. He leads the Ladino Collaborative (Ladino Lab), a multidisciplinary initiative supported by Binghamton’s Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, which trains students in reading Ladino texts and working with native speakers. Recent projects include documenting Judeo-Spanish language practices and digitizing historical materials.

Grants & Projects:

• Recipient of a Public Humanities Grant supporting the Ladino Collaborative
• Co-directs Binghamton’s Ladino Lab

Teaching: Courses include Spanish linguistics, sociolinguistics, language endangerment, and Judeo-Spanish introduction. He emphasizes applied linguistics and community-based learning.