Biography
Maxine R. Katz is currently a David L. Boren Fellow abroad in Jaipur, India studying Hindi with the American Institute of Indian Studies, funded by the South Asian Flagship Languages Institute and Defence Language National Security Education Office (https://dlnseo.org/) for AY 2023-2024.
Maxine is a third-year master's student in the Religion Department and a previous FLAS Graduate Fellow for Hindi with the Center of Global Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Concentrating on Religions of India, Maxine focuses on Hinduism and Jainism in northwestern India. Maxine also has a Global Studies Minor, hosted by the Center for Global Studies. She hopes to research modern iterations of rituals and visual cultures using transdisciplinary methodological approaches. Maxine is especially interested in examining inter-religious interactions in India, especially in relation to minority religious populations and the current political climate. Her favorite painting subjects are Hindu deities; you can see her artwork on her website.
Research Interests
- Religions of India
- Ritual and Religion Theory and Methods
- Textual and Visual Culture (Creation and Reception)
- Interreligious Interactions
Education
B.A. in Religion (Spanish Minor, Interfaith Certificate) from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Awards and Honors
Summer 2023 - Spring 2024 - David L. Boren Fellowship, Intermediate and Advanced Hindi, https://dlnseo.org/ and Department of Defense.
Fall 2022 - Spring 2023 - Foreign Language Acquisition Scholarship, Beginner Hindi, Center for Global Studies, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Summer 2022 - (Alternate, Semifinalist) Summer Student Fellowships for Digital Sonic and Visual Projects, American Institute of Indian Studies
Summer 2021 - Full Tuition Fee Remission Scholarship, Elementary Sanskrit, South Asian Summer Language Institute, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Fall 2020 - Ronald Filler Scholarship, Program of Jewish Culture and Society, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Summer 2019 - Marjorie Hall Thulin Study Abroad Scholarship, Department of Religion, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Fall 2019 - Spring 2020 - Frances E Smith Scheidel Scholarship, School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Courses Taught
REL/PHIL 110
- Teaching Assistant: Fall 2021, Spring 2022
Additional Campus Affiliations
Center for Global Studies
Research Experience
Project Assistant (Research and Administrative Assistant), Interfaith Curricula and Initiatives, Department of Religion, December 2020 - May 2022
Academic Service
Graduate Student Committee Member, American Academy of Religion, May 2021 – May 2023
Student Director, Midwest Region- American Academy of Religion, May 2021 – May 2023
Professional Associations
American Academy of Religion
American Oriental Society
Society for Hindu-Christian Studies