Dr. Ronit Stahl

Biography

Ronit Y. Stahl is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of California, Berkeley. She holds the Gary Donna Freedman Chair in Undergraduate Education and specializes in the history of modern America, focusing particularly on the intersections of pluralism, politics, law, and religion within military medicine. Her notable work includes the book 'Enlisting Faith: Military Chaplaincy Shaped Religion State Modern America', published by Harvard University Press in 2017, which investigates how the military engaged with religious pluralism in the twentieth century. Through her research, Stahl examines how the state utilized religion to legitimize war and the significant role chaplaincy played in the evolving religious landscape, including the slow incorporation of diverse religious groups amidst a backdrop of racial segregation. Her current projects delve into the rise of institutional corporate rights concerning health care, combining legal decisions, legislative actions, and lived experiences to explore the trajectories of reproductive healthcare and LGBT health issues from the 1970s to the present. Stahl aims to unravel the impact of religious beliefs on health care law and policy, alongside societal debates on reproductive rights, gender equality, racial justice, and more, highlighting the complexities of conscience conflicts in this realm.

Research Interests