Speaking of the Millennium...

Looking for an informed and thoughtful comment on the New Year, new century or new millennium?

Yale faculty members have perspectives that span all fields of human endeavor, including history, philosophy, religion and politics. Here are a few suggestions.

* Abbas Amanat, professor of history and chair of the Council on Middle East Studies
Expertise: historical, religious and symbolic significance of the turn of the century and the millennium. Amanat, an expert in the Middle East, organized a year-long seminar series on the millennium. The course focused on approaches taken by the world’s religions to the idea of the end of days.

* Carlos Eire, professor of history, professor and chair of religious studies
Expertise: both of the Christian millennia, the history of Christianity, Catholicism, spirituality, mysticism, history of death, afterlife

* John Lewis Gaddis, professor of history
Expertise: diplomatic history, international relations, military history

* Robert Johnston, assistant professor of history and American studies
Expertise: society at the turn of the last century, social and intellectual American history

* Laura Wexler, associate professor of women’s and gender studies and American studies
Expertise: cultural, racial, ethnic and gender studies, visual studies, photography and images of the body