Kent Hallman

Dr. Kent Hallman is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Program Director of the Humanities & Social Sciences Program at Cumberland University. He holds a Ph.D. from Oslo University (Norway), an M.Div. from Vanderbilt University, and an M.F. from the Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society. His research focuses on the sociology of ethnicity/race, religion, culture, folklore, sociolinguistics, and diaspora studies, with specializations in Jewish Studies and Romani Studies. Dr. Hallman has cross-disciplinary expertise in Sociology and Theology/Religious Studies, having lived and worked across multiple countries. He contributes to academic works in multiple languages and has lectured internationally in Europe and the U.S., with prior roles in higher education, healthcare, and ministry.

Education

• Ph.D., Oslo University (Norway)
• M.Div., Vanderbilt University
• M.F., Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society

Research Interests

Dr. Hallman explores identity formation among diasporic minorities linked to the Middle East, South Asia, Europe, and the Americas. His work is influenced by his family’s historical engagement with 19th-century ethnological research. He combines sociological and ethnographic methods to study religion’s role in cultural preservation and adaptation within marginalized communities.