Research Interests for Laura S. Lieber
Research Interests: History of Biblical Interpretation; Rabbinics; Early and Medieval Synagogue
My primary area of research is in the area of synagogue poetry ("piyyut") from Late Antiquity and the Byzantine period. I examine these works from a variety of perspectives, including literary, performative, and comparative (particularly with early Christian hymnography in Syriac and Greek), and also as a genre of early Jewish biblical interpretation. In recent years, I have begun to integrate the study of material culture into my analysis of these literary works, as part of taking a more fully "contextual" approach to literary analysis. My most recent work approaches late ancient hymnography through the lens of theater studies and performance.
- Current projects:
- Songs from the Western Shore (volume on Aramaic poetry)
- The Liturgical Stage (ancient hymnography through lens of theater)
- Areas of Interest:
- Byzantine Liturgical Poetry
Jewish Culture in Late Antiquity
Jewish Liturgy (history of)
Rabbinic Literature
History of Biblical Interpretation
Medieval Judaism
- Recent Publications
- Lieber, LS, Aesthetic Convention and Ritual Creativity in Late Antique Piyyut,
Prooftexts - Journal of Jewish Literature History, vol. 40 no. 1
(January, 2023),
pp. 12-58 [doi] [abs]
- Lieber, LS, Power and Praxis: Writing and Performance in Megillat Ahimaatz,
Hebrew Studies, vol. 64
(January, 2023),
pp. 111-131 [doi] [abs]
- Lieber, LS, SYMPOSIUM READING, WRITING, AND RITUAL: JEWISH BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS IN LATE ANTIQUITY INTRODUCTION,
Hebrew Studies, vol. 64
(January, 2023),
pp. 5-9 [doi] [abs]
- Lieber, LS, "On This Day, We Are Perfect": Embodiment in Yannai's Yom Kippur Qerova,
Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy, vol. 30 no. 1
(January, 2022),
pp. 37-69 [doi] [abs]
- Lieber, LS, Sukkot in the Garden of Eden: Liturgy, Christianity, and the Bronze Bird on Mount Gerizim,
in The Samaritans: A Biblical People
(January, 2022),
pp. 94-101, ISBN 9789004466906 [doi]