Dr. Ben Mollov

BIO:

Dr. Ben Mollov is on the faculty of the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences and the Graduate Program in Conflict Management at Bar-Ilan University, and runs the university's Project for the Study of Religion, Culture and Peace. He specializes in conflict management from an intercultural perspective and the Jewish political tradition, on which he has written widely.  He is the author of Power and Transcendence: Hans J. Morgenthau and the Jewish Experience (2001) and other articles such as "Culture, Dialogue and Perception Change in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" with Dr. Chaim Lavie, and "Federalism and Multiculturalism as a Vehicle for Perception Change in Israeli-Jewish Society" with Dr. Zev Kalifon, both of which appeared in The International Journal of Conflict Management. ​He has organized several international conferences at Bar-Ilan University in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and appeared as the sole Israeli speaker at the Global Peace Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2005, and appeared again for another guest lecture in Malaysia in 2008.

 

Higher Education

1976              B.A.     (Cum Laude) Queens College, New York City

                                   Major: Political Science; Minor: Jewish Studies.

1979              M.A.     Columbia University, School of International Affairs.

June 1996      Ph.D.     Department of Political Studies, Bar-Ilan University, Israel.

                                    Dissertation: “The Jewish Aspect of the Life and Work of Hans

                                    J. Morgenthau”.

                                    Supervisors: Prof. Shmuel Sandler of the Department of

                                    Political Studies, Bar-Ilan University, Israel, and Professor

                                    Kenneth Thompson of the Miller Center for Public Affairs and

                                    Department of Government at the University of Virginia,

                                    Charlottesville, Virginia.

 

1996 – present    Faculty– Bar-Ilan University, Interdisciplinary Dept of Social

Sciences and Department of Political Science, Courses: “Seminar in Realism and International Relations”; “The Arab-Israeli Conflict”, “Conflict Resolution and Intercultural Communications”;  and   “Introduction to  International Relations”.

 

2005-2006          Faculty -- Haredi College, under auspices of Bar-Ilan University,

Interdisciplinary Dept of Social  Sciences, Course: “Conflict Resolution and Intercultural Communications”.

1. Coordinator of Political Science Department – Ashkelon Regional College, and lecturer in International Relations.

                                           

1995-1996          Faculty - Safed Regional College; “Introduction to International

                           Relations”, and “Introduction to Political Thought”.

 

1. Teaching Assistant - “Introduction to International Relations”, B.A.

                Program, Department of Political Studies.

 

1993 - 2001        Faculty --“The Arab-Israeli Conflict”, Overseas One Year

                            Program, Department of Political Studies.

 

1. Faculty -- “Journalism Workshop”. Overseas One Year Program

                            and Division of Public Communications and Journalism.

 

Special Academic Projects at Bar-Ilan University:

2010 -              Prepared B.A. Academic Progam in Political Science and

Communications for Haredi College in Jerusalem, under auspices of Department of Political Science and Regional Colleges Administration at Bar-Ilan University

 

2008- Present  Research Fellow, Project for the Study of Religion, Culture and Peace

under auspices of Department of Political Science. As Research Fellow responsible for directing and executing program development in areas relating to inter-religious and inter-cultural approaches to conflict management.

 

2009-             Academic Organizer of international conference on Theme: “The

German-Jewish Heritage: A Basis for Conflict Management” January 13, 2009 in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

 

2008-              Academic Organizer of conference on Theme: “Diversity within

Unity: A Federalist Vision Based on the Idea of ‘Brit’” in connection

with Rabin Memorial Day, November 11, 2008 in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

 

2008-               Academic Organizer of Public Academic Forum on Theme: Making

Inter-religious Dialogue more Effective, June 24 in cooperation with

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

 

2007-                Academic Organizer of International Workshop on

 Intercivilizational Conflict Can it be Moderated? June 11-12 in

 Cooperation with Burg/UNESCO Chair for Peace Education and

 Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

 

2007-               Academic Organizer of special Malaysian Scholars Forum on issues

 of Islam, Multiculturalism and Foreign Policy, June 10. Coordinated

 academic visit of two visiting Malaysian scholars at request of Israeli

                         Foreign Ministry.

 

2006-                Academic Organizer of Public Academic Forum on Theme-

Renewing a Sense of Social Partnership in Israeli Society: A Federalist Approach, June 13 in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

 

2005-               Academic Organizer of International Conference on the

                         Legacy of the German-Jewish Religious and Cultural Heritage:

                         A Basis for German-Israeli Dialogue? June 1, 2005 in cooperation

                         with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

 

2003-present   Academic Supervisor of  M.A. non-thesis track in Conflict

Management, responsible for field work supervision of

graduate students.

1. Academic Organizer of International Conference on Religion and Conflict Resolution, May 27-28, 2002 conducted in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

 

1994 - present   Director and Initiator of Project for Arab-Jewish Dialogue Project,

                          under auspices of Program in Conflict Resolution, Dept. of

                          Political Studies.

 

1992-1995        Curriculum Writer and Project Coordinator for “Contemporary

                          Jewish-Israeli Issues Series” concerning values and public affairs,

                          Lookstein Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora.

 

1991-1994       Substantive Editing rendered for following academic works:

Efraim Inbar, Regional Security Regimes, State University of New York Press, 1994, ed. on behalf of BESA Center for Strategic Studies.

 

The State of Israel, The Land of Israel: Statist and Ethno-national State and Nations: Israeli Foreign Policy, Greenwood Press, 1993, by Shmuel Sandler.

 

Professional Experience in Publishing, Journalism and Research:

1989-1991      Publications Coordinator - Melton Centre for Jewish Education in the

                       Diaspora, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Administered entire

                       publication process for academic publications; Managing Editor for

                       Studies in Jewish Education, Volume V, which received National

                       Jewish Book Award.

 

1987-1989     Editor in Chief/Journalist - Israel Economist Monthly (Monthly),

                       Jerusalem. Overall executive and editorial responsibility along with

                       reporting and analysis of strategic, political and economic affairs; over

                       40 published articles.

 

1983-1987     Managing Editor - Morasha, Journal of Religious Zionism, New York,

                       Jerusalem. Responsible for: solicitation, evaluation, editing, publication

                       management, and writing of materials. Coordinated editorial board;

                       conceived and organized thought symposium on critical issues with

                       leading reading religious and academic figures.

 

1981-1982    Israel Defense Forces - as academic soldier carried out research and

                      administrative responsibilities. Maintained, compiled and supervised

                      data bank.

 

1980-1981    Research Assistant - Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel-Aviv

                      University. Developed and maintained newly created information unit

                      on Israel in US Foreign Defense Policy.

 

Additional Professional Experience:

1991-2001   Served as Liason Officer to UN and Foreign Peacekeeping Forces as part

                     of Reserve Duty in I.D.F. Liason Unit.

 

1985-1988   Group Facilitator and Teacher - Melitz Center for Jewish Zionist

                     Education; Kibbutz Yavneh, on contemporary Jewish issues.

 

1983-1985    Speaker on behalf of Israeli Consulate in New York City.

1979             Graduate Assistant - “The Middle East After Camp David”, coordinated

                     seminar with visiting Israeli experts and gave several lectures; Queens College,

                     New York.

 

1978             Research Intern-American Jewish Committee, Foreign Affairs Division, New York.

 

1976             Research Intern - New York State Legislature, District Council 37.

 

Languages:

Hebrew: fluent speech, high level of reading and writing.

French: basic conversancy.

Arabic: basic conversation course.

 

Awards and Honors:

Rector’s Award for Special Excellence in Doctoral Progress, Bar-Ilan University, March 1995.

 

Review of Books in Periodicals:

“The Future of the Jews”, Jerusalem of International Relations, September 1991, Volume, 13, No. 3, pp. 96-98.

“The Impact of Gush Emunim: Politics and Settlement in the West Bank”, Forum, Summer 1986, Issue No. 59, pp. 122-124.

“Nuclear Proliferation: Breaking the Chain, “International Problems, Winter 1982, Volume XII, No. 4, pp. 54-55.

“Domestic Influences on Foreign Policy”, “International Problems, Fall 1980, Volume XX, Nos. 3-4, pp. 93-94.

Book Review Editor: Jewish Political Studies Review, 2002-2004. Responsible for evaluation, editing and solicitation of reviews of contemporary Jewish political studies literature.

 

Papers Presented at Scientific Conferences:

-"Religion and Conflict Resolution: A Paradigm based on the German-Jewish Heritage" (with Prof. Ephraim Meir and Dr. Chaim Lavie) at Annual Conference of International Association for Conflict Management, July 3-6, 2011, Istanbul, Turkey.

-“Resources for Peacebuilding in the Jewish Political Tradition”, invited to present paper at International Symposium on Religions and World Peace, October 20-23, 2010, Onsabrueck, Germany.

- “An Integrated Paradigm for Inter-religious Conflict Management based on the the German-Jewish Heritage” at Annual Conference of Israel Association for International Studies, May 31, 2010, Western Galilee Regional College, Akko.

-“The Influence of the Jewish Experience on the Realism of Hans J. Morgenthau” in Panel on Religion and Realism in IR Theory at Annual Conference of International Studies Association, February 16-20, 2010,  New Orleans, U.S.A.

-“An Integrated Strategy for Israeli-Palestinian Inter-religious Peacebuilding” at International Conference on Islam and Multiculturalism at Al-Qasemmi College, Baka al-Gharbiya, April 23, 2009.

-“Realism and Idealism emanating from the German-Jewish Heritage” (with Prof. Ephraim Meir) at International Conference on The German-Jewish Heritage: A Basis for Conflict Management, at Bar-Ilan University, January 13, 2009.

-“Morgenthau, Elazar, and Buber: A Preliminary Typology of Jewish Approaches to the ‘Other’ in the Jewish Political Tradition” at World Congress of Jewish Studies August 2- 6, 2009, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

-“The Impact of Jewish-Arab Educational and Work Encounters on Mutual Perceptions” (with Dr. Chaim Lavie) at International Conference on Walls: Antecedents and Consequences of Segregation and Integration, at Bar-Ilan University, January 12, 2009.

- “Can Educational Interventions Work to Promote Peace? A New Model for Intercommunal Relations in Israel” (with Dr. Zev Kalifon) at Annual Conference of The American Anthropological Association, November 19-22, 2008, San Francisco, California.

 “Inter-religious Dialogue as a Paradigm for Conflict Management” at Israel Association for International Studies Annual Conference, May 4, 2008, Bar-Ilan University.

-“Approaches to Intercivilizational Dialogue: Judaic Perspectives” at International Conference on Global Sustainability, Jan.4-7, 2008, University of Terengganu, Malaysia.

-“Federalism as an Organizing Theme for Israeli Multicultural and Regional Dialogue” at World Mediation Forum, October 9-11, Jerusalem, Israel.

-“Between the ‘Melting Pot’ and a ‘State of all its Citizens’: An Applied Federalist-Multicultural Experiment” (with Dr. Zev Kalifon) at Annual Conference of Association for Israel Studies, June 11-13 2007, Open University of Israel.

-“Federalism, Multiculturalism and Intercultural Dialogue for Conflict Management in Israeli Society” at International Workshop on Intercivilizational Conflict: Can it be Moderated?  June 12, 2007 at Bar-Ilan University.

-“The Impact of Jewish-Arab Encounters and the Discourse of the Holocaust on Mutual Perceptions” (with Dr. Chaim Lavie) at Annual Conference of International Association for Conflict Management, June 25-28, 2006, Montreal, Canada.

-“Results of Israeli and Palestinian Student Interactions in CMC: An Analysis of Attitude Changes Toward Conflicting Parties” at Annual Conference of International Communications Association (in Panel on Potential Uses of CMC for Generating Conciliatory Political Discourse organized by Researchers from Department of Communications New Mexico State University), June 19-23, 2006, Dresden, Germany.

-“Inter-religious Dialogue and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: An Empirical View” at International Conference on Bridging the Worlds of Judaism and Islam organized by the Department of Middle Eastern History, Dahan Center for the Sephardic Heritage, Bar-Ilan University and the Jewish Studies Program, San Franciso State University, January 3-4, 2006, at Bar-Ilan University.

-“Approaches to and the Impact of Israeli-Palestinian Inter-religious Dialogue”, invited as only Israeli at Global Peace Forum sponsored by Perdana Leadership Foundation, December 14-17, 2005, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; addressed audience of over 1,000 Malaysian Moslems.

-“Daniel J. Elazar’s Approach to Federalism as Based on the Idea of ‘Brit’” at World Congress of Jewish Studies, July 31-August 4, 2005, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

-“The Tragedy of German-Jewish Liberalism and Political Realism” at International Conference on the Legacy of the German-Jewish Religious and Cultural Heritage:A Basis for German-Israeli Dialogue? June 1, 2005, at Bar-Ilan University.

-“Hard Power and Soft Power in Conflict Management: Towards an Integrated Paradigm” (Hebrew) at Annual Conference of Israel Association for International Studies, Bar-Ilan University,  April 18, 2005.

-Religion, Narrative, and Conflict Resolution in the Arab-Israeli Conflict (in panel on Religion, Extremism and Interreligious Dialogue) at International Summit on Democracy, Terror and Security, March 8-11, 2005, Madrid, Spain. Invited as speaker by Club of Madrid.

--“Contact, Gender, and Arab-Jewish Inter-religious Dialogue” (with Dr. Chaim Lavie, Dr. Elana Cheshin, and Gal Springman) at Annual Conference of International Association for Conflict Management, June 6-9, 2004, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A..

“”The Impact of Arab-Jewish Inter-religious Dialogue on Attitudinal Moderation” paper presented at Invitation of Prague Society for NATO sponsored conference, January 25-27, 2004,  Prague, Czech Republic.

-“Arab and Jewish Women’s Inter-Religious Dialogue Evaluated: An Advanced Report” (with Dr. Chaim Lavie) at UNESCO International Conference, December 1-3, 2003, at Bar-Ilan University.

-“Federalism and Multiculturalism as a Vehicle for Perception Change in Israeli Society”, (with Dr. Zev Kalifon and Prof. Gerald Steinberg) at Annual Conference of International Association for Conflict Management, June 15-18, 2003, Melbourne Australia.

-“Perceiving the Other in Israeli Society: A Multicultural-Narrative Approach”, (with

Dr. Zev Kalifon and Prof. Gerald Steinberg) at UNESCO Scientific Conference, June 15-18,  2003,  Jyvaskyla, Finland.

-“Arab and Jewish Women’s Inter-Religious Dialogue Evaluated”, (with

Dr. Chaim Lavie) at UNESCO Scientific Conference, June 15-18,  2003, Jyvaskyla, Finland.

-“Power,  Force and Transcendence: Hans J. Morgenthau and the Jewish Experience”,  presented at special workshop: Faith and Foreign Policy The Jewish Tradition and American Foreign Policy, sponsored by Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs  and The American Jewish Committee, March 6-7, 2003, New York City.

-“Micro and Macro Aspects of Israeli-Palestinian Intercultural Dialogue”, at International Conference on Religion and Conflict Resolution, May 28, 2002, at Bar-Ilan University.

-“The Impact of Israeli-Palestinian Intercultural Dialogue: Virtual and Face to Face” –an advanced report (with Dr. David Schwartz, Prof. Gerald Steinberg, and Dr. Chaim

Lavie,) at Annual Conference of International Association for Conflict Management, June 26, 2001, Cergy (Paris), France.

-“Culture, Dialogue and Perception Change in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”, at Annual Conference of International Association for Conflict management,

(with Chaim Lavie), June 21, 1999, San Sebastian, Spain.

-“Interreligious Dialogue and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”, at Seminar, Peace Studies Program, Notre Dame University, February 15, 1999.

-“Intercultural Dialogue and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Lessons of a Student Dialogue”, at Conference on Negotiation and Mediation under auspices of Program in Conflict Resolution of Department of Political Studies, Bar-Ilan University, May 4, 1998.“

 -“Culture and Conflict Resolution: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”, at International Conference on Federalism and Peace Making, Jerusalem, October 22, 1998.

-“Intercultural Dialogue and the Israeli Palestinian Conflict: Theory, Practice, and Conclusions”, (Hebrew) at  Annual Convention of Israel Political Science Association,  Jerusalem, June 4, 1998.

 -“The Jewish Aspect of Hans J. Morgenthau” (Hebrew) at annual conference of Israel Political Science Association, Tel Aviv, May 16, 1996.

-“The Responsibility of the Academic Intellectual according to Hans. J. Morgenthau,” (Hebrew) at conference of Israel Academic Forum for Ethics and Social Responsibility, Tel Aviv University, June 22, 1995.

 

Proposals and Grant Awards

“Seeking to Understand Each Other’s Discourse”, proposal submitted to Konrad Adenauer Foundation in 2/2000 for running of experimental joint seminar with

faculty and students from Bethlehem University, in conjunction with Project for Arab-Jewish Dialogue/Program in Conflict Resolution.

Program began on September 24, 2000.

Project allocation of 250,000 NIS granted.

 

International Conference on “Religion and Conflict Resolution” proposal submitted to and approved by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung  in 12/2001 for running of international conference by Program in Conflict Management at Bar-Ilan University as academic organizer in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung , May 27-28, 2002.

Project allocation:  $16, 450.

 

International Conference on the “Legacy of the German-Jewish Religious and Cultural Heritage as a Basis for German-Israeli Dialogue” within framework of 40^th year of German-Israeli Relations. Proposal submitted on behalf of Program in

Conflict Management to Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in 12/2004. Approval granted for running of conference as academic organizer on June 1, 2005 and conference proceedings publication.

Project allocation. $19, 460

 

International Workshop on “Intercivilizational Conflict: Can it be Moderated?”

Proposal submitted to and approved by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in 11/2006 for running of international workshop by Program in Conflict Management in cooperation with Burg/UNESCO Chair for Peace Education at Bar-Ilan University as academic organizer on June 11-12, 2007 and conference proceedings publication.

Project allocation: $25, 200

 

Conference on Theme: “Diversity within Unity: A Federalist Vision Based on the Idea of ‘Brit’” in connection with Rabin Memorial Day,  proposal submitted and approved by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in March 2008 for running of conference in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung by Project for the Study of Religion, Culture and Peace in cooperation with Program in Conflict Management, the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences and the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, on November 11, 2008.

Project allocation: $12,550

 

International Conference on Theme: “The German-Jewish Heritage: A Basis for Conflict Management”, proposal submitted and approved by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in May 2008 for running of conference in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung by Project for the Study of Religion, Culture and Peace in cooperation with Program in Conflict Management and the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences .

Project allocation: $25,000

 

“Navigating Inter-religious Dialogue based on the German-Jewish Heritage”, Academic Coordinator of Research Proposal prepared and submitted to Israel Science Foundation (with Ephraim Meir, Primary Investigator and Chaim Lavie). Grade of “Very Good” received in July 2010, Proposal Re-submitted in November 2010.

 

Research Supervision

M.A. Thesis Advisor for Work on intercultural relations in Jerusalem, Program in Conflict Management Bar-Ilan University, 2004 to present.

 

Guest Lecturing in Conflict Management

“Religious Diplomacy in the Middle East” at Dialogue Insititute of Temple University, Philadelphia, February 21-22, 2010.

Scholar in Residence on Behalf of American Friends of Bar-Ilan University, Hebrew Institute of White Plains, White Plains, New York.  Presentations on topics: Civilizations in Conflict: Islam and Judaism is a Bridge Possible?; Conflict Management and Intercultural Dialogue in Israel. February 12-13, 2010.

Served as consultant and organizer of major Inter-religious forum, December 21, 2009 for training in approaches to conflict management at request of Inter-religious division of Israeli Foreign Ministry and Chief Rabbinate involving 200 local Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze religious leaders.

Invited and participated  as Discussant at International Symposium on “Religions and International Relations: Challenges and Opportunities” organized by Institute for the Study of International Relations, Trento, Italy, October 21-23, 2009.

“Inter-religious Approaches to Bridging the Arab-Israeli Conflict” at Department of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, February 19, 2009.

Invited  and participated as Discussant to International Colloquium on Religion and Diplomacy, held in cooperation with the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination, Princeton University and the Austrian Diplomatic Academy, Vienna, Austria, July 11-14, 2008.

Lecture to “Israeli Palestinian Negotiating Partners”  on theme: “Israeli-Palestinian Inter-religious Dialogue and Implications for Negotiation”. Lecture given in cooperation with Dr. Walid Mustafa, Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Bethlehem University, April 10, 2008, Jerusalem.

Lecture at Forum at home of Israeli Ambassador to Bangkok and at Assumption University, Bangkok under auspices of Israeli embassy in Thailand on Intercultural and Inter-religious Dimensions of Israeli-Arab Peacebuilding, January 11, 2008.

Lecture to Academic Workshop sponsored by University of Potsdam in conjunction with project proposal which was requested by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation: “Approaches to German-Israeli cultural dialogue through structured internet (CMC) interactions”, Jerusalem, October 17-18, 2007.

Lectures on Conflict Management and Intercultural Communication to Foreign Attache’ Unit of the Israel Defenses Forces in the framework of the Conflict Management and Negotiation Program, December 2006 and December 2005.

Series of guest lectures and academic course coordinator on religion, Judaism and conflict management for special academic course in Religion and Conflict

Management in Program in Conflict Management and Mediation, Tel Aviv University,  Spring 2005.

 

Scholarly Evaluations of Other Academic Works

Served as reader for Ph.D. dissertation in Department of International Relations at

Hebrew University of Jerusalem, “Statesmen, Theoreticians, and Idealogues: The Theoretic Construction of Democracy in the American Foreign Policy During the Cold War and After”, under direction of Professor Emanuel Adler, June 2003.

 

Served as critical reviewer for Praeger Greenwood Press for book manuscript

Political Theory and International Relations, edited by Dr. Tony Lang on behalf of

Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs, April 2004.

 

Served as reviewer for manuscript submission to Journal of Intercultural Studies

based on expertise in culture and Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, April 2005.

 

Served as reviewer for manucript submission to Comparative Political Studies, based on expertise in Israeli society and conflict management, November 2009.