Academic Year 2023–2024
The Weatherhead Forum is our platform to address pressing topics of the day, and the pathbreaking Weatherhead research being done in those areas. Speakers include faculty affiliates and expert practitioners. These special sessions are open to the public.
All Weatherhead affiliates are invited to attend! The Forum is chaired by the Center’s director. Registration is required for all Forum events.
Fall 2023
Wednesday, September 20
12:00–1:30 p.m. on Zoom
“Militants to Peacemakers: A Conversation from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Lebanon”
This session is open to the public and will be recorded. Registration is required; see the event listing for details.
- Assaad Chaftari, Activist and Vice President, Fighters for Peace. Former Senior Intelligence Official, Christian Militia, Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990).
- Dženana Šabić Hamidović, National Project Officer, International Organization for Migration.
- Spasoje Kulaga, Founder and President, Pravi Požar Association, Bosnia. Former Member, Army of Republic of Srpska.
- Luciano Kaluza, Diplomat. Master of International Relations and Economic Diplomacy. Former Consul General of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Asim Parlić, Activist; Former Councillor, Zavidovići Municipal Council; Former Member, Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Mirko Zečević-TadićI, Activist; President, Retired War Invalids 108 Brigade; Former Member, Croatian Defence Council.
- Chair: Melani Cammett, Director, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Chair, Weatherhead Research Cluster on Identity Politics; Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Department of Government, Harvard University.
Cosponsored by the Weatherhead Research Cluster on Identity Politics
Wednesday, December 4
12:00–1:30 p.m. on Zoom
The War in Israel/Palestine: A Primer
This session is open to the public and will be recorded, but dissemination is TBD. Registration is required; see the event listing for details.
How did tensions between Palestinians and Israelis reach the devastating breaking point of October 7? Our panelists will offer crucial background on recent history and events leading up to the attack on Israel and the war in Gaza. This forum will follow along the lines of a “teach-in” to educate and review what is known about the current situation—with the shared value of conveying compassion rather than blame. Scholars of Israel, Palestine, and the Middle East will share their insights on the forces that have shaped the war and how it is experienced on the ground.
- Derek Penslar, Faculty Associate. William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History, Department of History; Director, Center for Jewish Studies, Harvard University.
- Yael Berda, Former Academy Scholar, The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies. Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor), Department of Sociology and Anthropology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
- Amahl Bishara, Associate Professor, Anthropology; Associate Professor, Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora, Department of Anthropology, Tufts University.
- Chair: Melani Cammett, Director, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Chair, Weatherhead Research Cluster on Identity Politics; Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Department of Government, Harvard University.
Wednesday, January 31
12:00–1:30 p.m. on Zoom
The War in Israel/Palestine: Scenarios for Peace
This session is open to the public and will be recorded, but dissemination is TBD. Registration is required; see the event listing for details.
The eruption of war between Israel and Hamas pushes the critical questions of sovereignty to the forefront. Scenarios for peace that have long been discarded—such as a two-state solution—are now being reconsidered. So are other scenarios, such as citizenship under one state, or a confederation of states under Israel, to name a few. How can citizens of Palestine and Israel live together safely, and what kind of governing structure could be viable in Gaza and the West Bank, or collectively? Our scholars discuss theoretical proposals for peaceful coexistence.
- Leila Farsakh, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Massachusetts, Boston.
- Yuval Feinstein, Former Visiting Scholar, Weatherhead Scholars Program. Chair; Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Haifa.
- Shai Feldman, Raymond Frankel Chair in Israeli Politics and Society, Crown Center for Middle East Studies and Raymond Frankel Professor of Politics at Brandeis University.
- Chair: Melani Cammett, Director, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Chair, Weatherhead Research Cluster on Identity Politics; Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Department of Government, Harvard University.
Wednesday, February 14
10:00–11:30 a.m. on Zoom
The War in Israel/Palestine: Geopolitical Dimensions
This session is open to the public and will be recorded, but dissemination is TBD. Registration is required; see the event listing for details.
As regional actors beyond Israel and Hamas are drawn into the conflict, stability across the Middle East is increasingly uncertain. Alliances are shifting, proxy wars are intensifying, and commercial ships are being diverted away from the Red Sea following attacks by Houthi rebels. Caught among different actors clamoring for their support, the United States and other nations and regional alliances must stake their positions based on various and differing grounds, be they humanitarian, security, economic, or strategic.
Four scholars will discuss and debate the volatile and fluctuating state of relations within the Middle East and the broader geopolitical ramifications of this heightened, century-long conflict.
- F. Gregory Gause, Professor of International Affairs and John H. Lindsey ’44 Chair, Bush School of Government & Public Service, Texas A&M University.
- Peter Krause, Associate Professor of Political Science, Boston College.
- Adel Hamaizia, Research Fellow, Middle East Initiative, Belfer Center, Harvard Kennedy School.
- Dahlia Sheindlin, public opinion expert and political analyst; PhD, Tel Aviv University.
- Chair: Melani Cammett, Director, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Chair, Weatherhead Research Cluster on Identity Politics; Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Department of Government, Harvard University.
Friday, February 16
12:00–1:15 p.m. on Zoom
The War in Israel/Palestine: A Dialogue
This session is open to the public and will be recorded, but dissemination is TBD. Registration is required; see the event listing for details.
How do two prominent philosophers—one Palestinian, one Israeli—think about the war in Gaza, the October 7 attack, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and prospects for the future? Can philosophical reflection contribute to our understanding of the crisis in the Middle East? Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel moderates a discussion between Sari Nusseibeh, a renowned Palestinian philosopher and former president of Al Quds University who has been active in Palestinian politics and peacemaking initiatives, and Moshe Halbertal, a distinguished professor of Jewish thought and philosophy at Hebrew University and Gruss Professor of Law at NYU Law School.
- Moshe Halbertal, Gruss Professor of Law, New York University School of Law; John and Golda Cohen Professor of Jewish Thought and Philosophy, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
- Sari Nusseibeh, professor of philosophy, emeritus; former president, Al Quds University; former representative of the Palestinian National Authority in Jerusalem.
- Moderator: Michael Sandel, Faculty Associate. Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, Department of Government, Harvard University.
- Chair: Melani Cammett, Director, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Chair, Weatherhead Research Cluster on Identity Politics; Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Department of Government, Harvard University
Wednesday, March 27
12:00–1:30 p.m. on Zoom
The Forum on Israel/Palestine: Peace Activism
This session is open to the public and will be recorded, but dissemination is TBD. Registration is required; see the event listing for details.
Long before the events of October 2023, thousands of people, both Palestinians and Israelis, have been active in the peace movement. Amidst today’s heightened tensions, peace groups remain active but are operating under more challenging conditions. Undeterred by bans on protests and blowback on social media, peace activists are pursuing distinct visions to construct new realities for Palestinians and Israelis. Through their passion and commitment, they are attracting support from around the world. A panel of leaders, teachers, and scholars will discuss the experiences they’ve had bringing people together and bridging gaps.
- Alon-Lee Green, National Co-Director, Standing Together.
- Rula Hardal, Palestinian CEO, A Land for All.
- Mohammad Kundos, Principal, Hand in Hand School, Kfar Saba, Israel.
- Oded Leshem, Senior Research Associate, Psychology of Intergroup Conflict and Conciliation Lab, Hebrew University.
- Chair: Melani Cammett, Director, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Chair, Weatherhead Research Cluster on Identity Politics; Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Department of Government, Harvard University
