2019 Jerusalem Conference
The 16th Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
Jerusalem, Israel, 20-22 May, 2019
Globalization and Innovation:
Canada and Israel in Comparative Perspective
The Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Association for Canadian Studies held a three-day conference at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to steer discussions that situate Canada and Canadian affairs within the context of globalization and innovation. The conference addressed the relevance of globalization of innovation to the following topics, from diverse disciplinary perspectives:
- Various social spheres including various sectors (high-tech, industry and commerce;
education, academia
and science; healthcare; civic mobilization; and more);
-Various forms of organizing (public and governmental agencies, for-profit firms, and
civil society organizations), as well as to cross-sector partnerships;
-Link between innovation and entrepreneurship;
-Policy-making and strategy: Global, national and organizational dimensions;
-Innovation divides: Global, gender, ethnicity, and class inequalities in high-tech
and related innovation spheres;
-Global migration and cross-cultural aspects of innovation.
For the conference programme click here (Pdf fie)
For the conference website click here
2016 Jerusalem Conference
The 15th Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
Jerusalem, Israel, 23-25 May, 2016
Rethinking Diversity and Multiculturalism:
Global and Local Challenges
Both Canada and Israel face the significant challenges of balancing liberal values and national
interests with the highly diverse composition of their societies, which contain a broad range of
religious, national, ethnic, linguistic and cultural minorities. The ethos of diversity and
multiculturalism, considered in the last decades as holding great promise, has lost some of its allure,
due to global events, economic pressures and concerns about long term effects for certain community
members (such as women and children), inter-group relations and national unity. The Halbert Centre
for Canadian Studies and the Israel Association for Canadian Studies will hold a three-day conference
at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to explore, from multi-disciplinary perspectives, the ways in
which Canada and Israel cope with these challenges, within the following six subthemes:
• Constitutional and Legal Concerns
• Literature, the Arts and Identity
• Political Challenges in National and International Arenas
• Discourse, Communications and Media
• New Directions in Culture and Society
• Migration, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Keynote speakers for the conference were the Honourable Lloyd Axworthy; Primary sectional speakers include Prof. Stephen Toope, Prof. Alain-G. Gagnon, Prof. Benson Honig, Prof. Smaro Kamboureli, and Prof. Priscilla Settee.
For the conference programme click here (Pdf file)
2013 Jerusalem Conference
The 14th Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
Jerusalem, Israel, May 20-22, 2013
Canada and Israel in a Changing World: New Trends and Directions
Recent changes in world affairs have posed new domestic, regional and international political, social, and economic challenges to both Canada and Israel. The global economic meltdown, the Arab Spring, the resurgence of political protests and the impact of digital technologies and social media on political communication and mobilization are only some of the major issues that have required scholars and policy makers to reassess conventional ways of understanding politics and policy at the domestic, regional and international levels. A three-day international conference at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem held by the Halbert Center for Canadian Studies and the Israel Association for Canadian Studies will explore, from a multi-disciplinary perspective, the way in which Canada and Israel cope with these new challenges.
Primary speakers who have already confirmed their participation include: Diana Brydon, Canada Research Chair in Globalization and Cultural Studies, and professor in the Department of English, Film, and Theatre at the University of Manitoba & St. John's College; Richard Cavell, Department of English, Founder, International Canadian Studies Centre, & Principal Founder, Media Studies Program, University of British Columbia; Itzak Galnoor, Herbert Samuel Professor of Political Science (emeritus), The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Louis Jacques Filion, Rogers-J.A. Bombardier Chair of Entrepreneurship, HEC Montreal; Brian Lewis, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Science & Professor of Communication Studies, Concordia University; Shimon Shetreet, Professor of Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Greenblatt chair of Public and International law and past President of the Sacher Institute of Legislative Research and Comparative Law.
The keynote address "Challenges to Higher Education" will be delivered on May 21st, 2013,11:15-12:45, by Janice Gross Stein, Belzberg Professor of Conflict Management in the Department of Political Science & Director, Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. Discussion and Respondants: Prof. Menahem Ben Sasson, President, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Rivka Carmi, President, Ben Gurion University.
The session will be chaired by Dr. Nadine Trajtenberg, Associate Dean of the School of Economics, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya
For the conference programme click here (Pdf file)
2010 Jerusalem Conference
13th Biennial Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
Environmental Challenges in Canada, Israel and Beyond
The term "environment” encompasses the physical, ecological, social, legal, economic, cultural, political, institutional, technological, and the personal — to name a few. And from June 28 to July 1, 2010, scholars from Canada, Israel, India, Japan, China, Poland, Russia, the United States, Brazil, and Australia gathered at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to share knowledge and perspectives on "Environmental Challenges in Canada, Israel and Beyond.” That was the theme of the13th Biennial Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies, sponsored by the Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies and the Israel Association for Canadian Studies (IACS).
The theme of climate change and policy surrounding it ran through many of the sessions. David Runnalls, president of the International Institute for Sustainable Development delivered a stimulating keynote address on "Canada and climate change: How not to make public policy.” Galit Cohen, from the Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection, gave a talk on "The Environmental Policy of the State of Israel.”
At a four-hour symposium, 11 speakers from different fields were invited to present the ways in which their areas of specialty relate to the environment. The result was an engaging and diverse discussion that encompassed the environment as it relates to Judaism, the Inuit, urban planning, psychology, film, and even environment and eco-criticism and literary studies. Participants responded favourably to the session format, and many remarked that they intended to use it at future conferences of their own.
A special session in memory of Peter Oberlander was especially moving. Oberlander was one of Canada's leading urban planners and was the first visiting professor atthe Hebrew University's Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies, in 1979. Since then, he remained an excellent friend to both the Halbert Centre and the IACS. His wife, leading Canadian landscape architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, presented a history of his achievements. The conference's final event was a half-day tour of Jerusalem organized by the city's vice mayor, Naomi Tsur. The tour, dubbed "Jerusalem of Green — Transforming the Holy City's Urban Environment,” focused on some of the environmental projects conducted by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.
2010 Programme: Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
2008 Jerusalem Conference
12th Biennial Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
Responding to the Challenge of Diversity in Canada, Israel and Beyond
In a city that is the spiritual home to several of the world's major religions, in a country often challenged by the demands and seemingly competing needs of its various populations, it seemed highly appropriate that, from June 16 to 19, 2008, more than 80 academics, representing 11 countries, gathered to discuss the theme of the 12th Biennial Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies: "Responding to the Challenge of Diversity: Canada, Israel, and Beyond.”
The conference, held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Mount Scopus campus in association with the Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies and the Israel Association for Canadian Studies (IACS), brought together leading scholars and experts on issues of Canadian, Israeli, and global diversity. The Hon. Bob Rae, MP, Toronto Centre, delivered the keynote address, "Identity and Pluralism: Some Thoughts on Canada and Israel.” Canadian ambassador to Israel Jon Allen, Hebrew University president Menachem Magidor, and Ralph Halbert were among the distinguished guests who joined conference participants at the opening session.
At the dinner following Rae's address, Daphna Oren, administrative coordinator of the Halbert Centre, received a certificate of merit in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the development of Canadian Studies. Cornelius Remie, president of the International Council for Canadian Studies, presented the award. Michal Schuster, Anna Kosner, and Israel Pupko — recipients of Halbert Centre and IACS academic grants — discussed their research topics and plans. A written message from a fourth grant recipient, Uriel Aboluf, was read by Allen Zysblat, a member of the conference steering committee, which also included Shuli Barzilai, Arza Churchman, and Rita Watson.
Janice Stein, director of the Munk Centre at the University of Toronto, presented the first conference session, a well-attended workshop on "Religion, Culture, and Rights: A Conversation about Women's Rights.” Prof. Nachman Ben-Yehuda, head of the Halbert Centre's academic committee, chaired the session. Respondents to Prof. Stein's lecture included Profs. Bruce Elman, Noreen Golfman, Mordechai Kremnitzer, Vered Vinitzky-Seroussi, and Shira Wolosky. A lively open discussion followed the lecture and responses.
The ensuing sessions provided a platform for discussion on a variety of topics related to the conference theme. Several panels focused on the Bouchard-Taylor Commission and Canada's First Nations. As in recent years, the conference was also the occasion for the annual meeting of the Halbert Centre advisory committee and the general assembly of the IACS.
A memorable evening in honour of the late Prof. Arie Shachar was held at the Israel Museum on June 17, chaired by IACS president Daniel Ben Natan. Prof. Shachar was the first director of the Halbert Centre and the first president of the IACS. Family members, friends, colleagues, and former students paid tribute to his personal and professional contributions; the speakers included Ralph Halbert, David Cameron, David Morley, Daphna Oren, Eran Razin, Gillad Rosen, and Tmima Shachar. Peter Oberlander, who was unable to attend, sent a message that was read to the audience. Two of Arie Shachar's children, Tamar and Erez, attended the event.
The evening was also the occasion for the inauguration of the Arie Shachar Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Canadian Studies, which was awarded to Dr. Gillad Rosen for his research on "From Public Space to Private Places: The Rise of Gated Communities in Israel.” The award was presented by Halbert Centre director Shuli Barzilai and by Daniel Ben Natan. The fellowship is co-sponsored this year by the Halbert Centre, the IACS, and the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University.
On June 18, the Emmy award–winning Canadian-Israeli producer and director Simcha Jacobovici presented his documentary film, Northern Justice, about the Canadian legal system and the indigenous population of the Canadian Arctic. The screening was followed by a discussion with the film audience, presided over by Simcha Jacobovici and the Hon. Irwin Cotler, Canadian MP and former minister of justice and attorney general of Canada.
The conference concluded with a guided tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. In keeping with the conference theme, the tour focused on several holy sites central to the religions represented in Jerusalem.
2008 Programme: Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
2006 Jerusalem Conference
11th Biennial Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
Conflict Management & Resolution
Conflict management and resolution” was the theme of the 11th Biennial Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies, which took place at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in July 2006. In her keynote address, "Is getting to ‘no' a good idea in conflict resolution?”, the distinguished Prof. Janice Stein (University of Toronto) challenged us all to move beyond tired ways of thinking about the structure and language of resolution. Many subsequent presentations referred back to the opening discussion, offering a necessary thematic coherence to our conversations.
A highlight was the riveting session on "The rule of law,” in which two distinguished panelists — Justice Aharon Barak of the Supreme Court of Israel and former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Frank Iacobucci — addressed an overflowing room. Moderated by the Honourable Irwin Cotler, acclaimed scholar and former minister of justice and attorney general of Canada, the panel boasted an astonishingly large amount of intellectual power and experience. Also in attendance was former Canadian federal justice minister Anne McClelland, a lively participant who warmly shared her experiences.
Sessions on social and economic policy were complemented by those on literature and art. For example, in a lively interactive session, Danielle Schaub (Oranim College) demonstrated how she approaches issues of conflict and resolution through the teaching of fiction. Bina Freiwald (Concordia University) spoke about the Arab-Israeli conflict in Jewish Canadian women's writing.
Special events included lunch with dynamic guest speaker Shlomo Hasson (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) on "The future of Jerusalem: Political and geographic perspectives”; a discussion of Steven Spielberg's controversial film Munich; a reception at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem; and a tour of the New Yad Vashem Museum.
We reflect on the 2006 conference with a mixture of deep sadness and affection. For many of us, it was our last time with conference organizer and Halbert Centre director Arie Shachar, without whose extraordinary leadership the conference and all of its fruitful benefits would not have been possible. We must take inspiration from the success of the 2006 conference to carry on with Prof. Shachar's vision of bringing together Canadian and Israeli scholars in a rich, ongoing dialogue.
2006 Programme: Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
2004 Jerusalem Conference
10th Bienniel Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies
Societies Coping with Crisis: The Canadian and Israeli Responses
Together with its partner, the Israel Association for Canadian Studies, the Halbert Centre held its 10th Bienniel Jerusalem conference in Canadian Studies from June 27 until July 1, 2004. The conference centred around the theme: "Societies Coping with Crisis: The Israeli and Canadian Responses". Most sessions focused on aspects of this theme from different perspectives, including: public policy, international relations and political science, university campuses, literature, geography and urban planning, ethics, demography, communications, economy and history. The field of psychology also featured strongly this year, a field fairly new to the biennial conferences.
Prof. Iris Geva-May was featured as keynote speaker at the conference. Prof. Geva-May, of the department of Political Science at Simon Fraser University and Editor-in-chief of the Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, spoke on the subject of: "Societies Coping with Crisis: Importance of Comparative Public Policy - The Case of Canada and Israel".
Special events included a screening of the movie "Discordia" which complemented a unique plenary session on the subject, a lunch lecture by Mr. Ari Shavit, an Israeli columnist for the Ha'aretz Daily Newspaper, entitled: "Israeli Society Facing Up to the Challenge of Terrorism", an evening tour and reception at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, and a half-day field trip around the capital entitled "Jerusalem Under Stress". The field trip was preceded by a lecture given at the closing lunch by Ambassador Jill Sinclair, Canadian Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, entitled "Middle East Peace: Process or Crisis? A Canadian Perspective".
Over 150 people attended the 4-day event, including more than sixty presenters. The majority were Israeli, close to half were Canadian, and the rest originated from India, Mexico and the United States. Sixty-two papers were presented at the conference.
2004 Programme: Jerusalem Conference in Canadian Studies