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General Interests
"Although my primary identity is as a historian, my work has always been interdisciplinary in nature and eclectic in methodology. In my most recent book, I looked at how Judaism adapted to the radically altered circumstances of late nineteenth- and twentieth- century America, a problem that has me searching the history of religious education, biblical interpretation, changing roles of women and theories of cultural pluralism.
My love of research has had a pervasive impact on my teaching. One of the joys of teaching is to inspire students to ask their own questions, and to see them through the process of finding answers."
Years at Knox: 1976 to present
Education
Ph.D., Medieval Studies, 1977, Stanford University.
M.A., History, 1970, Stanford University.
B.A., History, cum laude, 1969, University of Chicago.
Teaching Interests
Judaism, Christianity and Islam, women's history, Jews in America, the Bible in history, European history.
Recent Recognition
Awards
Caterpillar Foundation Faculty Achievement Award, Knox College, 1999.
Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, 1997-1998.
Fellowships
Senior Fellow, Institute of The Advanced Study of Religions, University of Chicago, 1997-1998.
Recent Accomplishments
Publications
Making the Bible Modern: Re-making Jewish Identity for Children in Twentieth Century America. Cornell University Press, 2004.
The Chicago Guide to Your Academic Career: A Portable Mentor for Scholars from Graduate School through Tenure. Co-authored with John Goldsmith and John Komlos. University of Chicago Press, 2001.
Cultural Visions: Essays in the History of Culture. Co-edited with Benjamin Sax. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2000.
Presentations
"Wearing Many Hats: the Department Chair at Liberal Arts Colleges." Guide for Department Chairs, ACM FaCE Conference.
"Americanization and the Transformation of Jewish Education: 'Character Building,' John Dewey, and Theories of Cultural Pluralism." Burkhardt Lecture, Knox College, 2000.
"Bible Stories for Children in Twentieth-Century American." Teaching Bible: Bridging Scholarship and Pedagogy, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts.
Significant Publications
The Lady and the Virgin: Image, Attitude, and Experience in Twelfth-Century France. University of Chicago Press, l985.
What Students Say
"In historian's workshop class, Professor Gold challenged me to think critically about the process of historical research, and the very nature of what history is. The class encapsulated what I think is great about a Knox education: you're exposed to theories that break down preconceived notions about learning and knowledge, and then given tools to help build new foundations on a more thoughtful and critical level. Professor Gold's class opened a lot of doors for me, not just in the study of history, but in all aspects of critical thinking and learning."
- Steve Russell, History and Spanish Major
Contact
309-341-7328
pgold@knox.edu
The Knox-Sandburg Community Concert Band, Knox Wind Ensemble, and individual music students perform in concert and recital, November 13 through 17 at Knox College.
Marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Elisabeth Herrmann of the University of Alberta gives the 2009 Johnson Lecture, "Mapping Germany from a Cultural Perspective Twenty Years after the Fall of the Wall," November 13 at Knox College.
Severed heads, a ghost in the well -- the Knox College Japanese Club marks Halloween by building a "Kimodameshi," which led visitors through scenes drawn from traditional Japanese ghost stories.
