Announcing the Call for 2025 AIS Awards
Dear AIS Members and Friends,
We are pleased to announce the call for submissions for the Association for Israel Studies Awards. Please note that award candidates must be current members of the AIS. If you are not yet a member and would like to register, you can do so at this link.
The awards will be presented during the AIS Annual Conference, which will be held at The University of Haifa from July 7–9, 2025.
Please see below or visit the AIS website for additional information and submission guidelines.
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AIS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The AIS Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a senior scholar in any field of Israel Studies whose lasting and path-breaking contributions have significantly shaped the field.
The prize awarded is $7,000.
Candidates may be proposed by AIS members by sending a curriculum vitae of the candidate, by February 20, 2025, to prizes@aisisraelstudies.org. The award committee may also propose potential candidates. Self-nominations are not allowed. The Committee encourages nominations that will reflect a diverse pool, including diversity of gender and gender identity, discipline, ethnicity, and national origin. The nominees must be members of the AIS. The committee will consider contributions of scholarship to Israel Studies, mentorship of others in Israel Studies, service to the field of Israel Studies, and development of Israel Studies institutions.
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THE GAD BARZILAI EARLY CAREER AWARD
The AIS Gad Barzilai Early Career Award recognizes an exceptional scholar who has made significant contributions to the field of Israel Studies, and whose record of publications and scholarship has demonstrated the potential to shape the field in the future.
Eligibility: Maximum 10 years post receipt of the candidate’s doctorate.
The nomination materials should include: a cover letter, CV, and two letters of recommendation.
The cover letter should include information about the candidate’s publication record, teaching record, mentorship record of others, institutional development (e.g. demonstration of the candidate’s commitment to the growth of the field) and service (the candidate’s record of commitment to the field through service on editorial boards, the AIS Board and/or other areas of academic service in Israel Studies).
A committee of prominent Israel Studies scholars will evaluate the nomination materials and determine the award winner.
The prize awarded is $5,000.
Nomination letters that address the scholar’s outstanding contribution to Israel Studies should be sent by February 20, 2025. It is the responsibility of the candidates to make sure that all recommendations are received on time. Self-nominations are not allowed. The committee reserves the right to consider additional candidates.
All nominations should be sent to: prizes@aisisraelstudies.org
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SHAPIRO AWARD FOR BEST BOOK IN ISRAEL STUDIES
The Association for Israel Studies annually awards the Shapiro Prize for the best book in Israel Studies published during the last calendar year. This award honors the memory of Yonathan Shapiro (1929-1997), one of Israel’s most distinguished and influential sociologists. The award pays tribute to outstanding scholarship in history, politics, society, law, economics, state, and culture of Israel and also the pre-1948 Jewish community in Palestine.
The Shapiro Award Committee will consider books in either English or Hebrew by (newly registered or renewed members for 2025). Eligible books are those published during 2024-2025. Authors can submit the same book only once, either now or next year.
Research monographs (but not a collection of articles/edited volumes), are eligible for the prize. Books translated from Hebrew into English and vice versa that were published prior to 2024 are not eligible. Books first printed in other languages that appeared in 2024 in English or Hebrew can be submitted. Those wishing to submit books translated from other languages should consult the committee chair to determine eligibility. Nominations can be made by individual scholars or by publishers.
The decision of the Shapiro Prize Committee will be published, with its reasoning, on the pages of the Association’s journal, The Israel Studies Review.
The prize awarded is $3,000.
Deadline for submissions: January 31, 2025.
Please see below the information regarding mailing/email addresses for sending the books. Please note, that some members prefer hard copies and others electronic/PDF versions.
Professor Kimmy Caplan: Hard copies. Please send to the following address:
Department of Jewish History and Contemporary Jewry
Bar-Ilan University
Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
Professor Artur Skorek: Hard copies. Please send to the following address:
os. Mlodosci 4/22
Krakow 31-908, Poland
Professor Itamar Radai: Hard copies. Please send to the following address:
The Open University of Israel
Department of History, Philosophy and Judaic Studies
1 University Road, P.O.B. 808,
Ra’anana 4353701, Israel
Professor Niva Golan-Nadir: Hard copies. Please send to the following address:
5 Hashfela St.
Ramat Hasharon, 4700348, Israel
Professor Adia Mendelson-Maoz: Electronic books/PDFs to mendelson.maoz@gmail.com.
Professor Asaf Likhovski: Electronic books/PDFs to likhovsk@post.tau.ac.il
Should you have questions or inquiries please contact the Committee Chair Prof. Kimmy Caplan at: kimmy.caplan@biu.ac.il.
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BEN HALPERN AWARD FOR BEST DISSERTATION IN ISRAEL STUDIES
The Association for Israel Studies awards the Ben Halpern Prize for the best doctoral dissertation in Israel Studies (broadly defined) approved during the 2024 calendar year. This award honors the memory of Ben Halpern (1912-1990), a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Israel Studies and the author of the influential book, The Idea of the Jewish State. An inspiring teacher at Brandeis University, Ben Halpern left a powerful and distinctive intellectual legacy including a commitment to the rigorous academic study of Israeli society.
Each member of the committee—including the chair—should be sent a copy of the submitted dissertation. Each Committee member will read and comment on all or the majority of them. Candidates should also send to the committee chair two recommendation letters by scholars familiar with the candidate’s work. The letters should explain how the dissertation has advanced knowledge in the field of Israel Studies (including the Yishuv period).
Please find below the names and contacts of the other committee members:
Donna Robinson Divine, Chair, drdivine@smith.edu
Osnat Akirav, osnatak@bezeqint.net
Moti Gigi, motig@mail.sapir.ac.il
Lilach Rosenberg-Friedman, lilach.rosenberg@biu.ac.il
Elisheva Rosman-Stollman, Elisheva.Rosman-Stollman@biu.ac.il
Pierre Anctil, panctil@uottawa.ca
A candidate for the award must be a member of the Association for Israel Studies prior to submitting their dissertation for consideration (newly registered or renewed membership for 2025). Dissertations in English or Hebrew will be accepted. Letters of recommendation can be in either language as well. It is up to the candidates to ensure that all letters of recommendation are received on time.
The prize awarded is $2,000.
Deadline for submissions: January 30, 2025.
Questions about the submission process should be directed to Committee Chair Donna Robinson Divine, drdivine@smith.edu
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KIMMERLING AWARD FOR BEST GRADUATE PAPER
The Kimmerling Prize is awarded by the Association for Israel Studies for the best paper presented by a graduate student at the AIS annual meeting. This award honors the memory of Baruch Kimmerling (1939-2007), a leading public intellectual and sociologist in Israel. He wrote, published and edited more than a dozen books on Israel and the Palestinians, introducing new perspectives for the understanding of Israeli society.
Graduate Students who presented papers at the AIS conference at Charles University in Prague, in 2024, are encouraged to submit their revised papers for the competition. Papers should be written in a format of an academic lecture and should include: the topic of the research, its objectives, the methodology used in the research, and a detailed explanation of the potential contribution of the paper to the existing literature in Israel studies.
The paper should also include full citations and a bibliography of relevant academic works. The paper should be no more than 5,000 words in length (not including the bibliography). Candidates for the award must be current members of the Association for Israel Studies (newly registered or renewed membership for 2025). Please include contact information (including email) for confirmation and decision.
The winning paper will be published in Israel Studies Review, pending acceptable revisions. Papers submitted to other international journals or previously published in English are therefore not eligible for the Kimmerling competition.
Papers should be submitted electronically to the chair of the Kimmerling Prize Committee Joel Migdal at migdal@uw.edu
The prize awarded is $1,000.
Deadline for submissions: January 30, 2025.
AIS Dissertation Completion Fellowship
The Dissertation Completion Fellowship aims to provide support to doctoral students for the final stages of the completion of their dissertations. Based in its commitment to fostering multidisciplinary research about Israel, these fellowships will constitute recognition of the contribution and potential of an emerging scholar. One fellowship, in the amount of $5,000, will be offered annually to an outstanding doctoral student, chosen by a committee of AIS-member scholars. The fellowship will be offered for a single year only. As a dissertation completion fellowship aimed at providing assistance for the final stages of doctoral work, the fellowship will not be renewable. Students are expected to complete their dissertations during the completion year.
The grantee will be asked to acknowledge the source of funding in all publications that rely on the funds of the AIS scholarship.
ELIGIBILITY
The AIS dissertation completion fellowship will be available to students at universities in any country who:
- Have completed all departmental and university requirements (obtain ABD status).
- Have completed an approved dissertation prospectus.
- Have completed at least two draft dissertation chapters (or one draft article for students in fields where the dissertation consists of three articles), confirmed by the dissertation advisor.
- Are current members of the AIS at the time of application.
- Eligible dissertations will be written in English or Hebrew.
Applications
Applications and should include:
- A cover letter (up to 1500 words) describing:
- The purpose, objective and rationale for the research project.
- The methodology or methodologies employed.
- Major findings of the dissertation and their importance/ contribution to the field of Israel Studies.
- A chapter of the dissertation.
- A bibliography (no more than 2–3 pages).
- A one-page timeline outlining the schedule for completing and successfully defending the dissertation within the fellowship year.
- Three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from the student’s doctoral adviser/supervisor.
- Professional CV and a full list of publications
- Status Confirmation Form to be completed by department chair or director of graduate studies.
Applications must be written in English (even if the dissertation itself is in a different language). The materials should be sent in mail a single PDF comprising all aspects of the application (with the exception of letters of recommendation) as an attachment to the Chair of the Dissertation Completion Fellowship Committee Prof. Brian Horowitz at: horowitz@tulane.edu by February 20, 2025. Recommenders can submit their letters of recommendation by emailing them as attachments to the same email address. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
The AIS will notify applicants of the AIS Academic Committee’s decisions by the beginning of April. For additional information please see:
Names of winners will be published on the AIS website.
AIS Archival Grant
The Grant will be available to all PhD. holders who conduct research in Israel studies, broadly defined, and who receive little or no financial support from their home institution. Members can apply for a grant of $1,000-$5,000 to enable research in archives, using primary sources for their research.
Up to $5,000 will be allocated each and every year (1 February-30 December).
Deadline: February 20, 2025.
Applicants need to submit:
- Cover letter (1 page)
- CV (3 pages maximum)
- Project description that includes:
1. Project Title (10 words)
2. Executive Summary (75 words)
Provide a summary description of your project, why it’s important, and how it will contribute to Israel studies. This should be a stand-alone statement that does not require any other context to clearly explain what you propose to accomplish.
3. Why You (200 words)
Why are you uniquely suited to take on your project?
The Issue (200 words)
Describe the specific issue your project is designed to address and its significance.
4. Justification (75-100 words)
Explain what you intend to do with the money, with breakdown of the budget.
5. Time and Place Framework (25 words)
Explain when and where you intend to conduct your research.
6. Deliverable
What is the specific result or deliverable you will produce by the end of your residency? (select one)
Article for Peer-Reviewed Publication (specify journals)
Book (specify publisher/s)
Book Chapter (specify editor/s and publisher/s)
Other (specify)
7. Intended Audience (150 words)
Who will be most interested in the results of your project? How do you intend to reach this audience?
8. Eligibility
Applicants must be registered AIS members.
All materials should be sent to aisarchivalgrant@gmail.com
AIS Research Grant
The Grant will be available to PhD holders who conduct empirical research in Israel studies, broadly defined, and who receive little or no financial support from their home institution. Members can apply for a grant of $1,000-$5,000 to facilitate and enable research, conduct interviews, publish data, participate in non-AIS conferences pertaining to Israel studies and for other research matters.
Up to $5,000 will be allocated each and every year.
All materials should be sent to committee chair Mohammad Wattad at mswattad1@gmail.com
Deadline: February 20, 2025.
Applicants need to submit:
- Cover letter (1 page)
- CV (3 pages maximum)
- Project description that includes:
1. Project Title (10 words)
2. Executive Summary (75 words)
Provide a summary description of your project, why it’s important, and how it will contribute to Israel studies. This should be a stand-alone statement that does not require any other context to clearly explain what you propose to accomplish.
3. Why You (200 words)
Why are you uniquely suited to take on your project?
The Issue (200 words)
Describe the specific issue your project is designed to address and its significance.
4. Justification (75-100 words)
Explain what you intend to do with the money, with breakdown of the budget.
5. Time and Place Framework (25 words)
Explain when and where you intend to conduct your research.
6. Deliverable
What is the specific result or deliverable you will produce by the end of your residency? (select one)
Article for Peer-Reviewed Publication (specify journals)
Book (specify publisher/s)
Book Chapter (specify editor/s and publisher/s)
Other (specify)
7. Intended Audience (150 words)
Who will be most interested in the results of your project? How do you intend to reach this audience?
8. Eligibility
Applicants must be registered AIS members.
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AIS Award Committees
Eyal Zisser, Chair
Naomi Chazan
Ariel Bendor
Cary Nelson
Ilan Peleg
Russell Stone
Ben Halpern Best Dissertation Award
Donna Robinson Divine, Chair
Osnat Akirav
Moti Gigi
Lilach Rosenberg-Friedman
Elisheva Rosman-Stollman
Pierre Anctil
Yonathan Shapiro Best Book Award
Kimmy Caplan, Chair
Artur Skorek
Niva Golan-Nadir
Adia Mendelson-Maoz
Assaf Likhovski
Itamar Radai
Baruch Kimmerling Best Graduate Student Paper Award
Joel Migdal, Chair
Natan Aridan
Meital Pinto
Guy Ziv
Avraham Sela
Laura Wharton
Gad Barzilai Early Career Award
Sylvie Fogiel-Bijaoui, Chair
Elie Podeh
Alan Dowty
Ilan Troen
Noya Rimalt
Ami Pedhazur
Paula Kabalo, Chair
Arnon Golan
Steven Zipperstein
Vered Weiss
Reuven Gafni
Sigal Ben-Rafael
Yuri Keum
AIS Dissertation Completion Award
Brian Horowitz, Chair
Ola Abu-Hasan Nabwan
Yuval Benziman
Ofira Gruweis-Kovalsky
Eli Sperling
Joanna Dyduch
Mohammad Wattad, Chair
Taro Tsurumi
Kiril Feperman
Ilan Ben-Ami
Isabell Schierenbeck
Miri Talmon