• Open to the public
  • Live

International Conference on Immigration and the Future of the Nation State

The Israel Democracy Institute4 Pinsker Street, Jerusalem

Co-sponsored by Metzilah – The Center for Zionist, Jewish, Liberal and Humanist Thought

On March 17–18, 2013, IDI and Metzilah (The Center for Zionist, Jewish, Liberal and Humanist Thought) hosted an international conference that  explored the cultural, social, and political effect of immigration on the cohesion and future of nation states. The first day of this conference focused on the global perspective, exploring the policies adopted by various countries, while the second concentrated on the special problems and challenges facing Israel.

This was the third conference in a series of international conferences conducted under the auspices of IDI's Nation State project. Its proceedings will be published in an upcoming collection of essays by Sussex Academic Press.

Watch this conference in full on the IDI Youtube channel or by clicking on the video banner on the right side of this page.

This conference was made possible by the generous support of
The Goldhirsh-Yellin Foundation

  • Prof. Ariel Bendor, Bar-Ilan University
  • Prof. Pierre Birnbaum, University of Paris
  • Dr. Arye Carmon, President, The Israel Democracy Institute
  • Prof. Daniel Friedmann, Tel Aviv University
  • Prof. Chaim Gans, Tel Aviv University
  • Prof. Ruth Gavison, President, Metzilah; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Prof. Aviva Halamish, The Open University of Israel; Academic Council, Metzilah
  • Prof. Moshe Halbertal, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Prof. Christian Joppke, University of Bern
  • Prof. Ruud Koopmans, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB)
  • Prof. Mordechai Kremnitzer, Vice President of Research, The Israel Democracy Institute; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 
  • Prof. Amia Lieblich, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; The Academic College for Society and the Arts
  • Prof. Menachem Mautner, Tel Aviv University 
  • Dr. Liav Orgad, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya
  • Prof. Noah Pickus, Duke University
  • Prof. Amnon Rubinstein, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya
  • Prof. Gideon Sapir, Bar-Ilan University
  • Prof. Martin Schain, New York University
  • Prof. Peter H. Schuck, Yale University (Via Video)
  • Prof. Rogers M. Smith, University of Pennsylvania 
  • Adv. Daniel Solomon, The Population and Immigration Authority
  • Prof. Shulamit Volkov, Tel Aviv University
  • Prof. Alexander Yakobson, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Adv. Sawsan Zaher, Adalah Center
  • Prof. Yaffa Zilbershats, Bar-Ilan University

Session 1: Opening Session
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Chair:
Prof. Anita Shapira, Senior Fellow, The Israel Democracy Institute; Tel Aviv University

Greetings:

  • Dr. Arye Carmon, President, The Israel Democracy Institute
  • Prof. Ruth Gavison, Founding President of Metzilah; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Keynote Speaker:

  • Prof. Rogers M. Smith, University of Pennsylvania

Coffee Break
11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.    

Session 2
11:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Chair:
Prof. Shulamit Volkov, Tel Aviv University

Speakers:   

  • Prof. Christian Joppke, University of Bern
    "Integrating Islam and Muslims into the Secular Legal State"   
  • Prof. Noah Pickus, Duke University
    "Citizenship Tests and Integration Policy in the United States and Europe"
  • Prof. Ruud Koopmans, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB)
    "Multiculturalism and Immigration: A Contested Field in Cross-National Comparison"

Lunch Break
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
 

Session 3
2:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Chair:
Prof. Mordechai Kremnitzer, Vice President, Research, The Israel Democracy Institute; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Speakers:

  • Prof. Daniel Friedmann, Tel Aviv University
    "Defining the Jewish Nation and the Question of Immigration to Israel
  • Prof. Ariel Bendor, Bar-Ilan University
    "Are Immigration Rights Constitutional Rights in Israel?"
  • Adv. Daniel Solomon, Population and Immigration Authority
    "Does Israel Have an Immigration Policy?"

Coffee Break
4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m
  

Session 4
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Chair:
Prof. Aviva Halamish, The Open University of Israel; Academic Council, Metzilah

Speakers:   

  • Prof. Pierre Birnbaum, University of Paris
    "The End of the French Melting Pot Paradigm? Between Assimilation and Expulsion: A Reconsideration of the Popular Front"
  • Prof. Martin Schain, New York University
    "A Transatlantic Comparison of Immigration Policy: Lessons from Europe"
  • Prof. Peter H. Schuck, Yale University [Via Video]
    "Organizing a Market in Refugee Protection Obligations:  A Modest Proposal Fifteen Years Later"

Session 5
9:30 a.m. – 11:30a.m. 

Chair:
Prof. Yedidia Stern, Vice President, Research, The Israel Democracy Institute; Bar-Ilan University

Speakers:

  • Prof. Chaim Gans, Tel Aviv University
    "Proprietary, Egalitarian, and Post-Zionist Approaches to Israel's Law of Return and Its Desirable Immigration Policy"
  • Adv. Sawsan Zaher, Adalah Center
    "The Impact of the Citizenship Law on the Legal Status of the Arab Minority"
  • Prof. Ruth Gavison, Founding President of Metzilah; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    "The Implications of Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People on Palestinian Immigration in the Framework of the ‘Right’ of Return or Family Unification"

Coffee Break
11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m

Session 6
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Chair:
Prof. Amia Lieblich, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; The Academic College for Society and the Arts

Speakers:

  • Prof. Moshe Halbertal, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    "Immigration, Identity, and the Claims of Justice"
  • Dr. Liav Orgad, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya
    "Before the Majority Becomes the Minority: The New Challenge of Migration"
  • Prof. Menachem Mautner, Tel Aviv University
    "Immigration and “Deep Disagreement” in a Liberal State"

Lunch Break
2:00p.m.–3:00 p.m.

Session 7
3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Chair:
Prof. Yaffa Zilbershats, Bar-Ilan University

Speakers:  

  • Prof. Gideon Sapir, Bar-Ilan University
    "The Amendment to the Citizenship Law, Termed 'The Family Unification Law'"
  • Prof. Alexander Yakobson, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    "The Israeli Law of Return and Non-Jewish Immigrants to Israel"
  • Prof. Amnon Rubinstein, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya
    "The Law of Return as a Test of International Law and of the Israeli Reality"

Concluding Remarks:
5:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m
Prof. Yaffa Zilbershats, Bar-Ilan University

International Workshop on Bi-Nationalism and the Nation State (May 2010)

International Conference on Religion and Nationality (June 2011)

An Incomparable Problem | Jerusalem Post | March 15, 2013