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Josef Sorett is an American scholar of religion and race in the Americas. He has served as the Dean of Columbia College of Columbia University since July 2022.[1]

Education

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Josef Sorett received a Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science from Oral Roberts University, an MDiv in Religion and Literature from Boston University in 2000, and his PhD in African American Studies from Harvard University.[2]

Career

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Sorett began teaching at Columbia University in 2009, and later became Professor of Religion and African American and African Diaspora Studies, Chair of the Department of Religion, and Director of the Center on African-American Religion, Sexual Politics and Social Justice. His research focuses on how religion has shaped cultures of Black communities and movements in the United States, from a perspective that straddles history, literature, religion, art, and music.[2] Sorett is the editor of The Sexual Politics of Black Churches published by Columbia University Press in 2022.[3] The book investigates the politics of sexuality within Black churches and their communities.[2] Sorett, who since 2022 has also served as Chair of Columbia University's Inclusive Public Safety Advisory Committee to "foster an inclusive campus community" with dialogue about campus racism, received Columbia's Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching in 2022.[4][5][6]

Dean of Columbia College

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Since July 2022, Dr. Sorett has served as the Dean of Columbia College and Vice President of Undergraduate Education.[2]

Antisemitism controversy

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During Columbia's annual alumni reunion on May 31, 2024, Sorett texted with three other Columbia deans in a disparaging fashion about a panel about antisemitism on campus, responding "yup" to derogatory comments that the other deans had made and at one point texting "LMAO".[7][8][9]

On June 8, Minouche Shafik, then President of Columbia University, stated that the messages "revealed behavior and sentiments that were not only unprofessional, but also, disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes" and were "unacceptable and deeply upsetting, conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns and the experiences of members of our Jewish community."[10][11] Columbia Provost Angela Olinto announced a series of steps to "hold those involved in the incident accountable." The three deans other than Sorett were placed on indefinite leave and "permanently removed from their positions at Columbia College" and ultimately resigned on August 8.[12][11][13][14][15]

Sorett was not placed on leave, but the Provost announced that he would apologize in writing to the Columbia College community and that he would be given "the support and partnership of the deans with whom he works closely to shape and deliver our undergraduate academic programs."[10] Sorett apologized the next day, on June 9.[16] A petition signed by more than 2,000 students, alumni, and parents called on the college to also remove Dr. Sorett for his role in the incident.[15][17]

Books

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  • Spirit in the Dark: A Religious History of Racial Aesthetics (Oxford University Press, 2016)[18]
  • The Sexual Politics of Black Churches (Columbia University Press, 2022) editor[19]
  • Black is a Church: Christianity and the Contours of African American Life (Oxford University Press, 2023)

References

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  1. ^ "Josef Sorett | Department of Religion". religion.columbia.edu. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Bollinger, Lee C (May 24, 2022). "Dr. Josef Sorett (STH '00) Appointed Dean of Columbia College". Boston University School of Theology. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  3. ^ "Three African American Scholars Who Have Been Appointed Deans". The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. June 6, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  4. ^ "Meet Columbia's Five New Deans". Columbia Magazine. Fall 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  5. ^ Andres, Dylan (February 22, 2022). "Inclusive Public Safety Advisory Committee starts to make headway amid administrative turnover". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  6. ^ "The Inclusive Public Safety Advisory Committee". Columbia University. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  7. ^ Tress, Luke (August 9, 2024). "3 Columbia deans quit after exchanging texts deriding campus antisemitism concerns". Times of Israel. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  8. ^ Arnold, Sarah (June 22, 2024). "Three Columbia University Deans Placed On Leave Over Disparaging Antisemitism Texts". Townhall. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  9. ^ Clark, Jeffrey (June 21, 2024). "Three Columbia University deans placed on administrative leave over disparaging texts". Fox News. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Messages from President Shafik and Provost Olinto".
  11. ^ a b Rosman, Katherine (July 8, 2024). "Columbia Removes Three Deans, Saying Texts Touched on 'Antisemitic Tropes'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  12. ^ Meko, Hurubie (June 22, 2024). "3 Columbia Deans Placed on Leave Over Conduct at Antisemitism Panel". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  13. ^ "3 Columbia University officials lose posts over texts that 'touched on ancient antisemitic tropes'". NBC New York. Associated Press. July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  14. ^ Smith, Tovia (July 8, 2024). "3 Columbia deans ousted for texts about Jewish students". NPR. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Otterman, Sharon (August 8, 2024). "3 Columbia University Deans Who Sent Insulting Texts Have Resigned". The New York Times. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  16. ^ Sorett, Josef (July 8, 2024). "A Message from the Dean". Columbia College. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  17. ^ "Roar Lions". Roar Lions. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  18. ^ Winters, Joseph (December 9, 2018). "Spirit in the Dark: A Religious History of Racial Aesthetics by Josef Sorett (review)". African American Review. 51 (2): 155–158. doi:10.1353/afa.2018.0027. Retrieved December 9, 2023 – via Project MUSE.
  19. ^ Thyssen, Ashwin Afrikanus (August 1, 2023). "The sexual politics of black churches: edited by Josef Sorrett, New York, Columbia University Press, 2022, 280 pp., $ 35 (paperback), ISBN: 9780231188333". Politics, Religion & Ideology. 24 (4): 614–616. doi:10.1080/21567689.2023.2242682. Retrieved December 9, 2023 – via CrossRef.
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