Lauren Wheeler

Originally from Marietta, Georgia, Lauren Wheeler received her BA and MA in History from Baylor University and is now a PhD candidate in Religious Studies at UVA. Her dissertation works through close readings of Holocaust responsa literature and reflective memoir to examine religious reflections on meaning during and after the Holocaust. The project seeks not only to foreground the experiences of traditionally observant Jews, but also to take seriously the “religious” frameworks, narrative arcs, and strategies for engaging with questions of meaning and significance. Additionally, the dissertation aims to open up space for reconsidering scholarly conceptions of the Holocaust timeline by engaging with the expanded timeframe of Holocaust experience and reckoning seen in the selected genres.

Outside of her scholarly interests, Lauren enjoys spending quality time with friends and family as well as curling up with a cup of coffee and a good mystery novel. She balances the gravity of her dissertation topic with a fondness for British sitcoms.