Kent Hallman is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Cumberland University, with cross-disciplinary background in Sociology, Cultural Anthropology and Theology/Religious Studies. He has lived in several countries, contributes to academic works in several languages, lectured at a number of universities in Europe and in the United States, and held positions in higher education, healthcare and ministry. Dr. Hallman is passionate about teaching, and his research interests include the sociology of ethnicity/race, culture, religion, folklore, sociolinguistics and diaspora, as well as Jewish Studies and Romani Studies.

His direct ancestors were subjects of ethnological research by a founding social scientist in 19th century Europe, inspiring Dr. Hallman to engage in his own sociological and ethnographic research on religious practices, culture and identity construction among diasporic minorities connected to the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Furthermore, Dr. Hallman is an ordained minister with international expertise in chaplaincy, ecclesial leadership and pastoral counseling. He lives in Nashville with his wife Phoebe, and is a multilingual world-traveler, song-writer, published poet and local volunteer; he enjoys history, traveling, the cinematic arts, good books, and an old-fashioned story or song in the company of family, cousins and friends.