Jessica Roitman

Prof. Jessica Roitman is a Full Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, holding dual appointments in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (Religious History and Heritage) and the Amsterdam Sustainability Institute. She specializes in Jewish Studies, focusing on social and cultural history of Jews from the early modern period through the 19th century, with expertise in Caribbean, Atlantic, and colonial histories. She co-leads the 'Traces of the Transcendent' research programme at CLUE+ and serves as editor-in-chief for the Journal of Early American History. Her roles include supervising BA, MA, and PhD theses and teaching courses on antisemitism, Amsterdam Jewish Culture, and religious heritage.

• Education:
  • PhD in History, Leiden University (2009)
  • MA in Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University (1996)
  • BA in Religion, Maryville College (1993)

Her research explores intersections of minorities, ethnicity, and religion in colonial contexts. She actively engages in public discourse through media contributions addressing contemporary issues like academic activism and university policies. She serves on the board of Stichting Het Menasseh Ben Israel Instituut, furthering Jewish socio-cultural research.