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"Human Rights under Pressure" Joint Doctoral Program

2015 Introductory Seminar for the 2nd

Cohort of Students

On October 18th

-30th

, 2015, the Minerva Center for Human Rights at the Hebrew University of

Jerusalem hosted the introductory seminar for the second cohort of young researchers accepted to the

"Human Rights under Pressure" ("HR-UP") Interdisciplinary Doctoral Research Program, established jointly by

Freie Universitaet Berlin and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The seminar provided the 14 incoming HR-

UP Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellows from the two partner universities an introduction to HR-UP and to its

interdisciplinary approach - as well as the opportunity to get to know one another, introduce, discuss and

develop their individual research projects, meet with leading academics and practitioners, and see first-hand

and discuss in depth some of the human rights dilemmas confronting Israel.

The second cohort of HR-UP Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellows, along with program directors

HR-UP’s highly diverse second cohort of outstanding Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellows includes

participants from Germany, Israel, Austria, England, Tanzania, Greece, Poland and Australia, from the fields of

law, political science, history, philosophy and international relations. Each of the Fellows presented their

research before the rest of the group and their Hebrew University advisors, followed by involved constructive

discussion, critique and suggestions, and the Fellows were unanimous in their view that presenting in this

forum and receiving the input of the rest of the group and their advisors was highly effective and beneficial to

the continuation of their work. Members of the first cohort from both Berlin and Jerusalem also attended and

contributed to the seminar, sharing their own experience in the program so far and aspects of their own

research. All came willing to both share their own perspectives and gain from others, leading to a truly

productive and enriching interdisciplinary experience. The presentations and discussions created the base for

an environment of collaboration and support between the Fellows from both cohorts as they continue their

work at the two partner universities.

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Led by HR-UP co-Directors Prof. Klaus Hoffmann-Holland of Freie Universitaet Berlin and Prof. Tomer

Broude of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the intensive introductory seminar included lectures and

comments by many distinguished Hebrew University faculty members. Prof. Vered Vinitzky-Seroussi, Dean of

the Faculty of Social Sciences, gave the seminar keynote lecture, on holidays, collectives and Israeli identity.

Additional seminar faculty participants included Eitan Alimi (Political Science), Manuela Consonni (Romance

and Latin American Studies), Gili Drori (Sociology), David Enoch (Philosophy), Ron Dudai (Buber Fellow), Amos

Goldberg (Jewish History and Modern Judaism), Guy Harpaz (Law), Badi Hasisi (Criminology), Moshe Hirsch

(Law), Barak Medina (Law), Galia Press-Barnatan (International Relations), Yaël Ronen (Law) and Shaul

Shenhav (Political Science).

Prof. Klaus Hoffmann-Holland

HR-UP Co-Director

Freie Universitaet Berlin

Prof. Vered Vinitsky-Seroussi

Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences

Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Prof. Tomer Broude

HR-UP Co-Director

Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The lectures and commentaries examined diverse aspects of human rights, in both local and

international/comparative contexts, illuminating the interdisciplinary nature of HR-UP, and the intimate forum

allowed for in-depth discussion and for both Fellows and faculty to share their perspectives and experience.

The program also included a methodology roundtable on the topic “How to Start a PhD”, including faculty

members, both Post-Doctoral Fellows, and members of the first cohort.

The Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellows presenting their research plans during the seminar discussions.

On the left – Bruck Teshome (HUJI). On the right – Shani Bartuvia and Magdalena Pacholska (HUJI).

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Field trips and meetings with a variety of civil society practitioners were a key element of the seminar.

A morning was devoted to a tour of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial and Museum. A tour with the NGO

Ir Amim looked at the “seam” between East and West Jerusalem. In Haifa the group had meetings with the

NGOs Adalah and Sikkuy, discussing issues of equality and the status of the Arab minority in Israel, followed by

a tour of the historic Old City of Acre (a UNESCO heritage site). In Tel-Aviv the group participated in a tour led

by the NGO Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, discussing the plight of African asylum-seekers and the

residents of south Tel-Aviv. An overnight trip to the Negev desert in the South of Israel focused on issues of

Arab-Bedouin rights, and included talks with the NGO’s Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality, Itach

(Women Lawyers for Social Justice) and Shatil.

In the historic Old City of Acre Sunrise in the desert, Ramon Crater

Tour of unrecognized Bedouin villages Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, South Tel Aviv

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The opening seminar was an intensive, challenging and exciting beginning to HR-UP’s second year. The

14 new Fellows join the 12 Doctoral Fellows of HR-UP’s 1st

Cohort, who began their studies in 2014. In addition

to continued work on the Fellow's individual research theses, the academic year ahead will include a biweekly

series of interdisciplinary colloquia and public guest lectures, and culminatie in a joint summer school in Berlin.

One week before the Introductory Seminar, the Hebrew University and HR-UP hosted in Jerusalem the

Mayor of Berlin, Mr. Michael Müller, and the President of FUB (and member of the Einstein Foundation

Board), Prof. Peter-André Alt. The visit included a presentation by HR-UP senior faculty member Prof. Avner

De-Shalit on models of inclusion in Berlin, Jerusalem and Amsterdam, as well as presentations by HR-UP

Doctoral Fellows Nir Barak, Rawia Aburabia and Limor Yehuda (first cohort, HUJI). The meeting was an

excellent opportunity to share the program with Mayor Müller and leadership from both universities.

Berlin Mayor Michael Müller, HUJI Rector Prof. Asher

Cohen, and FUB President Prof. Peter-André Alt

HR-UP Fellow Rawia Aburabia (HUJI)

HUJI Prof. Avner De-Shalit

lecturing on models of inclusion

HR-UP Fellows Limor Yehuda and Nir Barak

(HUJI), and Gabriele D'Amico (FUB)

The "Human Rights under Pressure" Interdisciplinary Doctoral Research Program is made possible by generous

grants from the Einstein Foundation Berlin and the German Research Foundation (DFG).