Faculty

Laura Ammon

Associate Professor of Religion

Director, The Watauga Residential College

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

Areas of research: Religion in Colonial Mexico, Colonialism and Religion, Utopia/Dystopia studies, Futurism

ammonll@appstate.edu

828-262-7362

Joseph Bathanti

McFarlane Family Distinguished Professor in Interdisciplinary Education & Writer-in-Residence & North Carolina Poet Laureate (2012-2014)

Watauga Residential College Department of Cultural, Gender, and Global Studies

Areas of Research: Creative Writing, The Poetry of Witness, Prison Literature, Arts & Humanities Initiatives for Military Veterans and their families.

828-262-2441

bathantjr@appstate.edu

https://watauga.appstate.edu/faculty-and-staff

Jeffrey K. Eastman

Lecturer in Spanish

Areas of Research: Jewish-Muslim-Christian Relations in Spain

828.262.7452

eastmanjk@appstate.edu

https://dllc.appstate.edu/eastman

Sarah Greenwald

Full Professor Department of Mathematics

Areas of Research and Service: Jewish communities pre-WWII.

828.262.2363
greenwaldsj@appstate.edu
http://mathsci2.appstate.edu/~sjg/

Davis Hankins

Assistant Professor Department of Philosophy and Religion

Areas of teaching and research: Ancient Israelite History and Culture; Second Temple Judaism; Ancient Rabbinic Judaism; the history of the use and influence of the Bible in Jewish communities.

828.262.6610
hankinscd@appstate.edu
philrel.appstate.edu/hankins

Amy C. Hudnall, M.A.

Senior Lecturer, Department of History and Department of Interdisciplinary Studies (formerly CGG)

Areas of teaching and research: Genocide studies, trauma theory, human rights, and cross-cultural conflict studies

828.262.6541
hudnallac@appstate.edu
http://www.appstate.edu/academics/profiles/id/amy-hudnall

Thomas Pegelow Kaplan

Leon Levine Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies (on Leave, Fall 2019), Full Professor, Department of History

Areas of Research and Teaching: Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Modern German History, Modern Jewish History, Global Transatlantic Protest Movements in the Twentieth Century, and History and Theory.

828.252.2311
thomaspegelowkaplan@appstate.edu
holocaust.appstate.edu/about/director

Chris Patti

Assistant Professor Department of Communication

Areas of Research and Teaching: Holocaust Survivor Oral History and Ethnography, Compassionate Communication, Interpersonal and Intercultural Storytelling, Mindfulness.

828.262.2481
patticj@appstate.edu
https://faa.appstate.edu/about/directory/chris-patti

Dana E. Powell

Assistant Professor Department of Anthropology

Areas of Related Teaching and Research: Settler colonialism, genocide, and Native America; critically engaged anthropology; environmental justice; cultural politics of energy extraction; critical indigenous studies.

828.262.2268
powellde@appstate.edu

Laurie R. Semmes

Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology Areas of Research and Teaching: Music and Propaganda, the Ukrainian bandura in Ukraine and in Ukrainian diaspora communities, World Music, Western Music History, Music and Exoticism, Musical Theater 828.262.7239semmeslr@appstate.edu

Rachel S. Shinnar

Assistant Chair, Full Professor, Department of Management, Walker College of Business

Areas of Research and Service: Entrepreneurship, Cross-cultural Management, modern Hebrew instruction

828.262.7314
shinnarrs@appstate.edu
https://management.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/rachel-shinnar-phd

Joe Weiss

Senior Lecturer of Philosophy Areas of Research and Teaching: Social and Political Philosophy, the Frankfurt School, Classical German Philosophy, Theories of Fascism, Holocaust and Survivor Ethics.

weissjm1@appstate.edu