[2] Hanson studied history at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Hanson spent two years in the United States Army, after which he worked in newsgathering and broadcast television.
[4] Hanson has taught for many years at the University of Central Florida where he currently holds the Tess and Abe Wise Endowed Professorship in Judaic Studies.
[6] In 2017 Hanson won the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching.
[4] Hanson was raised as an evangelical Christian, but converted to Judaism as an adult.