Presentation on 'Gender in Israel' at Brandeis University's Summer Institute for Israel Studies

It was both a pleasure and a privilege to present my ideas for teaching about 'Gender in Israel' to the fellows of the 2016 Summer Institute for Israel Studies at Brandeis University.

As I explained in my talk, research on gender in Israel emanates from multiple disciplines and addresses numerous contested questions. These include:

• The extent to which kibbutzim have lived up to their egalitarian promise
• The impact of the military on gender roles and relations 
• The effect of religious beliefs and institutions on ideas about and practices relating to gender
• How gender has intersected with socio-economic class, ethnicity, race and religion in Israel
• The historical roots and contemporary sources of Israeli pro-natalism, or encouragement of childbirth
• The factors offsetting Israel's pro-natalism
• The implications of Israel's pro-natalism for women's reproductive health and rights

If you would like to read my syllabus, which includes an overview of the scholarship both on gender and on reproduction in Israel, together with my recommended readings, please click here. 

Thank you to the director of the Schusterman Centre for Israel Studies at Brandeis, David Ellenson, and to the associate director, Rachel Fish, for not only inviting me to present, but also giving me such a warm welcome. Thanks also to Anina Selve, Rise Singer and Abby Huber for all of their hard work in helping and supporting me in myriad ways.