Season 4 of Cloister Talk is devoted to the consideration of the past, present, and future of Pennsylvania German Studies. In this inaugural episode of the new season, Patrick J. Donmoyer of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania offers a broad-ranging assessment of the state of the interdisciplinary set of fields that comprise Pennsylvania German Studies. In this fulsome conversation, we discuss the historical origins of Pennsylvania German Studies in their current form, the most vibrant modern-day research areas, and Donmoyer’s recommendations for new pathways in the field. We also dive into Donmoyer’s own groundbreaking research in to the Pennsylvania German folk healing practices known as “Braucherei.” This episode of Cloister Talk will be an invaluable resource for those already deeply familiar with Pennsylvania German scholarship, as well as those just getting their start in the interdisciplinary field who are looking for new avenues available for groundbreaking study. Tune in today for an engaging introduction to the state of the field!
Learn more about the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University by visiting https://www.kutztown.edu/about-ku/administrative-offices/pennsylvania-german-cultural-heritage-center.html. View a selection of Pennsylvania German material texts in the Heritage Center’s collection here: https://www.pagerman.org/of-the-image-and-the-word/. Below is a gallery of images from the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center: its facilities, its collection, its exhibitions, and its people.