Welcome Prof. Dr. Jacqueline Klooster, Professor of Greek Studies
Freiburg, 12/11/2025
Jacqueline Klooster has been Professor of Greek Studies at the Department of Greek and Latin Philology at the University of Freiburg since October 2025. In this interview, she explains why ancient texts are both foreign and familiar to us, what we can learn from them, how important openness and careful reading are as well as what distinguishes Amsterdam from Freiburg.
What excites you about your research?
As a Greek scholar, I find it fantastic to be able to read texts written 2,500 years ago, in which people put their questions about the world, their emotions, and their ideas down on paper. It is incredible that we can still read all of this today and gain such insight into a world that is similar to our own, but in many ways also foreign and different. This always provides new insights, including about today’s world. Understanding antiquity means making an effort to put yourself in a different perspective.
Personally, I also find it interesting how modern authors, especially female authors such as Madeline Miller and Natalie Haynes, but also Christa Wolf and Marguerite Yourcenar, try to understand mythological stories by reliving and retelling them from the inside out.
In the event your research offers entry points: What solutions can you find in your research for present and future challenges?
Classical scholars are probably not the first people who come to mind when looking for solutions to the major problems facing our world. Nevertheless, I believe that we can play a significant role. Ancient texts offer many points of reference for critically reflecting on patterns in our own world.
A good example can be found in the stereotypical roles of Greek women, who had to be submissive to their husbands and were not allowed to appear in public. Why was this the norm, did it always apply, and how did it affect the image of women in our own culture? And can we counteract this by reading ancient texts critically, but also by critically questioning the reception and retellings of antiquity?
What would you like to pass on to your students, and what would you like to gain from teaching?
Reading closely is essential. It is important to read carefully and to set aside any preconceptions you may have about a particular text: look at what is actually written and try to understand it as well as possible, using as many aids as you can: dictionary, grammar, commentaries, historical context. Only when you have really made an effort can you form an opinion about a text. In a world where attention spans have become shorter due to the influence of the internet, such deep concentration during class is very important.
What topics are you personally most concerned with at the moment, outside of your research?
I am alarmed by the increasing polarisation in society: the unwillingness and inability to empathise with others in order to find common ground: between men and women, different gender identities, different religions, different ethnic backgrounds. I think that empathy, which arises from reading and empathising with other ways of thinking, is so important precisely for this reason. We should sharpen our thinking through reading and discussion, instead of taking everything at face value from social media or letting AI do the thinking for us when we find it uncomfortable. If we don’t continue to train skills such as empathy, concentration and logical thinking, we will lose them.
We scholars in the humanities need to keep ourselves well informed about what is happening in social media and in the field of AI. These are the great disruptions of our time, which we must follow critically, but whose opportunities we should not miss if we want to remain relevant.
What are you looking forward to the most in Freiburg?
I am very much looking forward to meeting new colleagues and students, making new friends and embarking on collaborations. Coming from the Netherlands, I am particularly excited to discover the mountains and the Black Forest. It is not easy to find such impressive nature in the Amsterdam area, although the sea is beautiful too, of course. Overall, I am looking forward to living in this beautiful city.
Info box
Name: Jacqueline Klooster
Professorship: Classical philology, Greek
Research focus: Hellenistic poetry, historical narrative research, reception theory, the reception of mythological female figures in modern times
Role in Cluster of Excellent/Initiative: none yet