Jewish StudiesProgram

Biography:

Kristin’s passion lies in helping the world to better understand the meaning of Self and Identity. She is a previous graduate of Ball State University with dual Master of Art degrees in non-integrated sociology and history programs. She is a currently a second-year PhD student in sociology, with a doctoral minor in Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Her M.A. thesis entitled "Telling their Stories and Saying their Names: An Interdisciplinary Examination of Historical Interpreters Bringing the Past to Life," sought to illuminate the impact of historical interpreting on performer’s identities and understanding of Self. Though this may seem far removed from her interest in studying the Holocaust she sees an overlap between these areas of sociology and history. By examining the Holocaust through the lens of sociological social psychology we can better understand the internal impact that the external circumstances of genocide had on individuals. She is also interested in how collective memorization of the Holocaust (and other historical events) is impacted by the daily interactions amongst individuals as they create memory.