Research

Israeli Democracy: Towards a New Political Imagination

Organizers: Prof. Issachar Rosen-Zvi & Prof. Shai Lavi (Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem)

This year, we held a year-long series of seminar-style meetings with postdoctoral students from various disciplines to explore Israel’s democratic crisis and potential solutions for restoring democracy, considering its unique social structure and political landscape. We examined possible future trajectories rooted in current events, while analyzing Israel’s societal, institutional, and political frameworks, as well as its evolving ideologies. The group aimed to align democratic theories with a deep understanding of the Israeli context, bridging theory and lived experience to highlight the distinctiveness of Israeli democracy. This initiative is intended to lay the groundwork for developing norms and designing institutions that could support the long-term coexistence of Israel's diverse communities (see above page 11). Participants will submit research proposals for the coming year, and the best proposal will be selected and further developed.