School of Historical Studies

In a recent exhibition, Sofía Torallas Tovar, Distinguished Visiting Professor in the School of Historical Studies, and co-curator Raquel Martín Hernández explored an extraordinary papyrus codex whose pages are now dispersed across the globe. It offers a rare window into the production and circulation of biblical texts in Roman Egypt. 

Zeynep Çelik Alexander, Hans Kohn Member in the School of Historical Studies, studies the history and theory of architecture since the Enlightenment. Her current work examines institutions in Victorian London in which information collected from around the British empire was aggregated and organized to serve imperialist ends in the second half of the nineteenth century. 

Anna Stirr, Elizabeth and J. Richardson Dilworth Member in the School of Historical Studies (2024–25), explores the rich world of Nepali musicology. She also reflects on Institute for Advanced Study’s own unique soundscape, from the distinctive birdsong to the lively atmosphere that fosters deep scholarly exchange.

Gilles Bransbourg, Infosys Member in the School of Historical Studies (2024–25), describes the nexus of community and thought that Rubenstein Commons provides to scholars at the Institute for Advanced Study, recounting how small talk at the bar led to a significant insight in his research into economic and monetary history.

Maria Fusaro, Zurich Insurance Company Member in the School of Historical Studies (2024–25), recalls taming a squirrel she affectionately named “Bully” during her time at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Elena Aronova, Willis F. Doney Member in the School of Historical Studies (2024–25), discusses her research on the history of modern life sciences and non-linear conceptions of time. She reflects on how her project evolved at the Institute for Advanced Study, weaving academic insights with personal experiences of time.

Ellen Pilsworth, Alfred Landecker Member in the School of Historical Studies (2024–25), describes a “wow moment” in digital scholarship involving Winston Churchill’s Wilderness Years that she experienced while conducting research at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Alex Reiss-Sorokin, Member in the School of Historical Studies (2024–26), explains how historians function as detectives, piecing together evidence to "build worlds" through historical narratives.

Brad Bolman, Member in the Institute for Advanced Study’s School of Historical Studies (2023–25), details his investigations into the kingdom of fungi, including walks through the Institute Woods where his work was nourished by the campus’s mycological offerings.

SherAli K. Tareen, Patricia Crone Member in the School of Historical Studies (2024–25), reflects on how his time at the Institute for Advanced Study has helped him to reconnect with aspects of himself that can be overshadowed by the demands of academia, and his co-founding of the Institute’s cricket club.