Professor Wendy Doniger speaks during CSB Renaissance Residency Program

04/02/2007

Professor Wendy Doniger, whose research and teaching interests revolve around Hinduism and mythology, speaks at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12 at the Teresa Reception Center Boardroom, Main Building, College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph.

“The Clever Wife and the Magic Ring in South Asian and European Myth” examines issues of gender in ancient myths across different cultures and explores what those issues reveal about cultural comparison.

Her speech, part of the CSB Renaissance Residency Program and co-sponsored by the Asian Studies program at the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University, is free and open to the public.

Doniger is the director of the Martin Marty Center and Mircea Eliade Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Religions in the Divinity School at the University of Chicago, as well as holding appointments in the department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, and committees on the Ancient Mediterranean World and Social Thought.

Her courses in mythology address themes in cross-cultural expanses; her courses in Hinduism cover a broad spectrum that considers literature, law, gender and psychology.

She has written extensively on the religions of India, in particular the study of ancient Hindu myths. But she has also translated into English a number of key ancient Hindu texts, including “The Rig Veda: An Anthology, 108 Hymns Translated from the Sanskrit;” and “Kamasutra,” with Sudhir Kakar.

Doniger’s interest in cross-cultural, comparative work extends well beyond the myths of India. Her general interest in such topics as gender, sexuality and personal/social identity enable her to do comparative work in a wide range of historical periods and cultural settings, evident especially in works such as “The Bedtrick: Tales of Sex and Masquerade” (2000) and “The Woman Who Pretended to Be Who She Was: Myths of Self-Imitation” (2004).

Doniger completed her undergraduate work at Radcliffe College in 1962, and completed two doctoral degrees at Harvard and Oxford universities, specializing in Sanskrit and Indian studies. She has held teaching positions at Harvard, Oxford, the University of London and the University of California-Berkley. She has taught at the University of Chicago since 1978.

Doniger will be in residence April 12-13, and plans to meet with CSB/SJU students studying literature and gender.

The Renaissance Residency Program brings distinguished professionals or intellectuals to CSB to share their expertise and to serve as role models to the student body. Through public talks and classroom visits, Renaissance Residents encourage students to explore new ideas and expand their intellectual and professional horizons.