The Department of Middle East Studies The Chaim Herzog Center for Middle East Studies and Diplomacy

Named for the iconic IDF general, lawyer, politician, and sixth president of the State of Israel, the Chaim Herzog Center supports academic activities that contribute to a more accurate discourse about the Middle East, with the goal of fostering understanding and building a basis for peaceful relations.

Along with financial support for research projects, including scholarships and grants for both students and faculty, the Herzog Center facilitates the translation into Hebrew of seminal research on the Middle East, hosts visiting scholars from Israel and abroad, and initiates workshops, conferences, seminars, and film screenings on the region's cultures, religions, and societies. The Herzog Center also supports the publication, together with the Middle East Studies Department, of the respected academic journal Jama'a, and encourages the writing of articles, opinion pieces, and reporting on major events in the Middle East.

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Lectures and Conferences

The Herzog Center supports a full calendar of lectures, book launches, and panel discussions, featuring scholars from universities throughout Israel as well as from the Middle East Department of Ben-Gurion University. Most notable is the center's Annual International Conference, which brings scholars, public intellectuals, journalists, and more together to discuss an issue of timely importance in the Middle East.

Cultural Events

The center's Cinema Club aims to expose both the academic and wider community to new perspectives on issues in the contemporary Middle East. Film screenings are preceded by a lecture, sometimes by the filmmakers themselves, and followed by informal discussions with participation from the audience. The Herzog Center also supports musical and theatrical performances related to Middle Eastern culture.

Research Scholarships

Scholarships are provided for advanced research under the auspices of the center, as well as for editorial roles for the academic journal Jama'a.

Scholarly Residencies and Visiting Scholar's Programs

The Center regularly invites well-known scholars from Israel and abroad to advance their research at BGU. While living and working at the University, scholars share their work with faculty and students through workshops, seminars, and both formal and informal lectures in numerous departments, and participate in a range of ongoing campus activities.

To learn more about the criteria for a Chaim Herzog Center scholarship or participation in a scholarly residency or visiting scholar's program, candidates are invited to contact Tal Sela, the administrative coordinator for the center, at hercen@bgu.ac.il.