ABOUT THE INSTITUTE
The Leonard Davis Institute of International Relations was established in 1972 at the Hebrew University, thanks to the generosity of the American philanthropist whose name it bears. Located in the Truman building on the Mount Scopus Campus of the Hebrew University, the Institute is surrounded by evocative vistas. Westward are the domes and spires of the Old City of Jerusalem; to the east, visible on a clear day, are the Dead Sea and the Mountains of Moab; and to the south are the tower of the Augusta Victoria hospice and the Mount of Olives.
Our identity and mission spring from our position of privilege and responsibility in one of the most fascinating historical cities in the world, the site of holy places cherished by the three monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Two thousand years after the destruction of the Temple of Herod by the Roman legions, Jerusalem is the capital of the reborn State of Israel, as well as its seat of government.
Since its inception, the Leonard Davis Institute has provided a nonpartisan and independent platform for research, education, and discussion on issues of international relations in general and Israel’s diplomacy and foreign policy in particular. Small countries are inevitably engrossed in parochial issues. But in an age of globalization and interdependence, our aim has been to broaden the horizons of the Israeli public to encompass the realities of international affairs beyond Israel’s borders.
The Institute has three broad aims when planning its programs:
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To promote research in international relations theory, adopting a broad perspective that draws on a variety of disciplines.
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To present the universal themes of international politics to the Israeli public, thereby enhancing the national discourse on these matters.
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To put the Institute’s expertise and consulting capability at the service of national institutions conducting the security and foreign affairs of Israel.
Since 1972, the Leonard Davis Institute has served as a center where researchers from the International Relations, Political Science, and related departments at the Hebrew University, as well as from other Israeli universities and academic centers, can develop and coordinate research programs. To this end, the Institute, although formally anchored in the Faculty of Social Sciences, is by its nature and statutes an interfaculty and interdisciplinary body.
While other institutes of international relations and strategic affairs in Israel tend to specialize in local issues of war and strategy, we include questions of external affairs, diplomacy, international law and institutions, and negotiation and conflict resolution. Geographically, we emphasize the international relations of the Middle East, the Mediterranean, North America, and Europe (including Russia).
Our audience encompasses the academic community, Jerusalem’s governmental institutions, the diplomatic corps, communications media, and the interested general public. We welcome visitors from abroad and provide them with the opportunity to share their ideas with colleagues here.
The Leonard Davis Institute provides generous funds to promote research
at the graduate, postgraduate, and senior levels. Visiting fellows enrich the scope of the institute, and we foster cooperative projects with sister institutions abroad. In addition to our program of lectures and workshops, each year we run at least three international conferences. We publish a Hebrew-language journal on politics and international relations and a "Working Papers” series in both English and Hebrew.
