Ronny Vollandt

Ronny Vollandt, Professor of Judaic Studies at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich:

My research concentrates on the 'exegetical triangle' of Jews and Christians under Islam: exegetical literature, grammatical thought, and Bible translations in Arabic. The transmission of texts and ideas among various religious groups partaking in the same cultural and linguistic milieu brought about revolutionary changes in many areas.

The scholarly investigation beyond denominational borders is still in its infancy. I consider my research situated in this new framework that systematically crosses the boundaries between three major disciplines of academia: Jewish Studies, Islamic Studies, and the study of Eastern Christianity. It is precisely this interdisciplinary approach that triggered my interest in the AGYA.

One of my constant guiding believes was the profound doubt on the myth of an epistemic break between "Eastern" and "Western" academic traditions, which can only be bridged by a tight collaboration with Arab colleagues.