Gad Barzilai
Encyclopedia
Gad Barzilai is a scholar of political science and law, famous for his work on the politics of law, human rights and communities. He is a professor of law, societies and justice, and international studies at University of Washington
. In the past he was a professor of political science and law at Tel Aviv University
where he served as its Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Law, Society and Politics Program.
Gad Barzilai is best known for his critical analysis of law as a dimension in political power, which should be understood through using combined methodology of socio-political-legal studies. His work emphasizes the importance of political elite, critical communitarianism
, legal pluralism, cultural relativism
and political power in local, state and global sites.
from family of Holocaust survivors. He studied History, Judaism and Political Science at Bar-Ilan University
, Law at Tel Aviv University
and in 1987 he received his PhD in political science from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem which awarded him several prestigious prizes including Fulbright. After completing his PhD and LLB [JD] he studied quantitative research methods at University of Michigan
, Ann-Arbor, and completed a post-doc in comparative politics at Yale University
.
He served as a professor at Tel Aviv University
in the political science department and law school. Barzilai was the First Founding Director (1999–2002) of the newly established international Dan David Prize
, which is among the three large Prize foundations in the world, bestowing international prizes and scholarships for academic and scientific international excellence. In 2005 he moved to University of Washington
where he is currently a professor in the Law, Societies, and Justice Program, Comparative Law and Society Studies Center, and in the Jackson School of International Studies.
Barzilai was the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Israeli Association of Law and Society; Board Member of the Law and Society Association
(Class 2006), Board Member of the American Journal of Political Science
(1998–2003), Board Member of the Association of Israel Studies (1993–1996, 2007- ), Board Member of Israel Studies Forum (2004- ), and Board Member of the Journal of Comparative Studies (2006- ). He is active in international, Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian human rights organizations and has advised senior politicians and NGOs on issues of law and politics. Barzilai has been elected in 2009 as the Vice President of the Association of Israel Studies.
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. In the past he was a professor of political science and law at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
where he served as its Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Law, Society and Politics Program.
Gad Barzilai is best known for his critical analysis of law as a dimension in political power, which should be understood through using combined methodology of socio-political-legal studies. His work emphasizes the importance of political elite, critical communitarianism
Communitarianism
Communitarianism is an ideology that emphasizes the connection between the individual and the community. That community may be the family unit, but it can also be understood in a far wider sense of personal interaction, of geographical location, or of shared history.-Terminology:Though the term...
, legal pluralism, cultural relativism
Cultural relativism
Cultural relativism is the principle that an individual human's beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual's own culture. This principle was established as axiomatic in anthropological research by Franz Boas in the first few decades of the 20th century and...
and political power in local, state and global sites.
Biography
Barzilai was born on January 11, 1958 in Tel AvivTel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
from family of Holocaust survivors. He studied History, Judaism and Political Science at Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University is a university in Ramat Gan of the Tel Aviv District, Israel.Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is now Israel's second-largest academic institution. It has nearly 26,800 students and 1,350 faculty members...
, Law at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
and in 1987 he received his PhD in political science from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem which awarded him several prestigious prizes including Fulbright. After completing his PhD and LLB [JD] he studied quantitative research methods at University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Ann-Arbor, and completed a post-doc in comparative politics at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
He served as a professor at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
in the political science department and law school. Barzilai was the First Founding Director (1999–2002) of the newly established international Dan David Prize
Dan David Prize
The Dan David Prize annually awards 3 prizes of $1 million each awarded by the Dan David Foundation and Tel Aviv University to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in the fields of science, technology, culture or social welfare. There are three prize categories - past, present and...
, which is among the three large Prize foundations in the world, bestowing international prizes and scholarships for academic and scientific international excellence. In 2005 he moved to University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
where he is currently a professor in the Law, Societies, and Justice Program, Comparative Law and Society Studies Center, and in the Jackson School of International Studies.
Barzilai was the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Israeli Association of Law and Society; Board Member of the Law and Society Association
Law and Society Association
The Law and Society Association is an association founded in 1964. Its members come from many fields and countries and are interested in "the place of law in social, political, economic and cultural life". The association publishes the academic journal Law & Society Review.The LSA's executive...
(Class 2006), Board Member of the American Journal of Political Science
American Journal of Political Science
The American Journal of Political Science is published by the Midwest Political Science Association. It was formerly known as the Midwest Journal of Political Science. According to the 2008 edition of the Journal Citation Reports, its impact factor is 2.397...
(1998–2003), Board Member of the Association of Israel Studies (1993–1996, 2007- ), Board Member of Israel Studies Forum (2004- ), and Board Member of the Journal of Comparative Studies (2006- ). He is active in international, Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian human rights organizations and has advised senior politicians and NGOs on issues of law and politics. Barzilai has been elected in 2009 as the Vice President of the Association of Israel Studies.
External links
- Gad Barzilai's personal home page
- Profile of Professor Gad Barzilai
- Gad Barzilai's on twitter
- Gad Barzilai on RSS feed
- Gad Barzilai, 1996, Wars, Internal Conflicts and Political Order: A Jewish Democracy in the Middle East, Albany: State University of New York Press.
- Gad Barzilai and David NachmiasDavid NachmiasDavid Nachmias is a Greek musician, arranger & pianist who devoted his career to the rediscovery and revivification of Greek Vintage Music.- Early life :...
, 1998, Governmental Lawyering in the Political Sphere: Advocating the Leviathan, Israel Studies 3 (2): 30-46. - Gad Barzilai, 2003,Communities and Law: Politics and Cultures of Legal Identities, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press
- Gad Barzilai, 2007 Law and Religion, Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing LtD.
- Gad Barzilai, 2008 Beyond Relativism: Where is Political Power in Legal Pluralism, Theoretical Inquiries in LawTheoretical Inquiries in LawTheoretical Inquiries in Law is a biannnual peer-reviewed Israeli law journal published by Tel Aviv University....
9 (2).] - Gad Barzilai, 2010 The Attorney General and the State Prosecutor: Is Institutional Separation Warranted?, Jerusalem: The Israel Democracy Institute