Tola Rodrick

Tola Rodrick serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the Department of History within the College of Arts and Sciences. Her academic work focuses on the late ancient Mediterranean and early medieval world, with particular expertise in religious and social history.

Education:

• B.A. from University of California, Berkeley
• M.Litt. in Philosophy from University of St. Andrews
• M.A. in Religious Studies from Duke University
• Ph.D. in History and Religious Studies from Indiana University

Dr. Rodrick's research explores the construction of identity and socialization processes within competing social groups in late antiquity, with special attention to gender-related strategies for negotiating transitions between social groups. Her work examines cultural competition in group dynamics and amplifies historically marginalized voices within ancient contexts. She specializes in the intersection of philosophical education and religious practices, particularly examining how traditional philosophical educational practices influenced early monastic training in Egypt.

Her current book project, Beginning the Philosophical Life: The Earliest Stages of Monastic Training in Late Ancient Egypt, investigates the initial steps of monastic training and socialization in fourth- and fifth-century Egypt, highlighting connections to traditional philosophical educational practices throughout the Roman Empire, including spiritual exercises and other elements of identity construction.

Dr. Rodrick maintains regular office hours on Wednesdays from 2:45-3:45 p.m. in Heritage Hall 360K and can be reached at (205) 934-8695.