The Morris E. Curiel Institute for European Studies

The European heritage is a major aspect of Israeli civilization: approximately half of Israel's population is of European origin and the State of Israel has an explicit Western orientation. A large number of scholars at Tel-Aviv University ? within the faculties of the humanities, arts, social sciences and law ? are concerned in their research and teaching with topics relevant to European history and culture. The Morris E. Curiel Institute serves as a pivot for cooperation among all these scholars and promotes the study of European civilization in all its aspects ? history, philosophy, literature and arts, political organizations and structures, and economics ? as they developed within Europe?s national states as well as within the new supra-national frameworks of the European Union. Furthermore, the Morris E. Curiel Institute devotes some of its resources to the study and promotion of Israel?s relations with the European states.

Main activities:

  • Organizing international conferences and workshops on topics related to European history and culture;
  • Support for journals and other publications dedicated to European matters and addressing the general public in Israel and the scholarly community, such as the Theatre Arts Journal: Studies in Scenography and Performance;
  • Encouragement and financial support to graduate students working on theses related to European history and culture;
  • Promotion of ties with academic institutions in Europe and with institutes representing its national cultures worldwide.

History of the Institute:

The Morris E. Curiel Center for International Studies was established in Tel-Aviv University in 1993, as an interdisciplinary institute of the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Law Faculty, focusing on international developments and their impact on domestic issues in Israel. The founder and first director of the Center was Professor Shlomo Ben-Ami. His successors as directors of the Center were Professors Eli Barnavi, Gabriel Gorodetsky and Yitzhak Ben-Israel.

In 2004 the name of the Center was changed to the Morris E. Curiel Institute for European Studies and its focus shifted to European history and culture as well as the relations between European states and the State of Israel. The Morris E. Curiel Institute for European Studies now operates within the S. Daniel Abraham Center for International and Regional Studies. The director of the Institute as of September 2014 is Dr. Tamar Herzig.

 

Tel Aviv University