Summer School of the Max Planck Israel Programme
As part of the Max Planck Israel Programme, the Summer School between the Tel Aviv University and the Department of Law & Anthropology of the MPI for Social Anthropology took place at the Harnack House in Berlin from 27 August to 7 September 2024.
Democratic Recession
The Hamas attack and the outbreak of war on October 7th occurred against a backdrop of existing threats to Israeli democracy and a decline in public trust in governance. Earlier in 2023, the Israeli government proposed a reform aimed at diminishing the judiciary’s power – a move that by undermining democratic institutions ignited widespread protests. The nationalist approach and surge in extremist ideologies have further marginalized moderate voices and deepened sociopolitical divides.
Together, these crises illustrate a negative trajectory for Israel’s democracy, reflecting global trends of rising authoritarianism and democratic backsliding. This erosion of democratic principles poses significant risks for Israel and the broader landscape of democratic governance worldwide.
Law and Other Languages for a Just Society in Israel
Recognizing that the challenges facing liberal democracies require critical reflection on their causes and exploration of novel solutions, the LL.M. programme of the Tel Aviv University revisits the role of law in diverse societies characterized by different conceptions of morality. The programme, Law and Other Languages for a Just Society in Israel, acknowledges that the legal and political systems built on liberal values of individualism and liberty do not represent the ways of life or ideals of the more traditional and religious sectors of society.
Through the programme, attorneys and jurists from all segments of Israeli society—religious and secular, Palestinian and Jewish, from the periphery and the center—constructively learn an alternative unified legal language that offers a new horizon for all sectors. By connecting law to the languages of sociology, ideology, economics, and emotion, the programme introduces innovative legal thought and discourse, ultimately fostering alternative forms of social action.
The programme is led by Prof. Orna Ben Naftali, the Emile Zola Chair for Human Rights at the Haim Striks Law Faculty of the College of Management Academic Studies, and Prof. Shai Lavi, Director of the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute and Professor of Law at Tel Aviv University.
Max Planck Institute Summer School
Aiming to deepen the students’ understanding of the challenges in Israel by contextualizing them within a broader global perspective, the programme participants took part in a 10-day summer school at the Harnack Haus in Berlin. In collaboration with the Department of Law & Anthropology of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, the students enriched their academic knowledge of foundational legal and socio-legal questions while building personal and professional connections with junior researchers and senior scholars from Germany.
Given the extreme circumstances of the past year, the partnership with the academic team of Prof. Marie-Claire Foblets, Director of the Department of Law and Anthropology, was vital, as it emphasized the need for accommodating diversity and understanding the role of memory in post-traumatic societies. Contributing to the quality of the learning were Prof. Anne Peters, Co-Director of the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, and Dr. Peter Collin, researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory.
The first part of the programme, organized and directed by Prof. Foblets, included a four-day seminar series covering various topics from the perspective of legal anthropology, including legal diversity and pluralism, memory and trauma, antisemitism, and law and religion. The students were taught by leading scholars in their respective fields and engaged in discussions with young German researchers and scholars affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology. Networking with like-minded peers from different backgrounds exposed the participants to new ideas and cultural perspectives.
The second part, organized by Ms. Alexandra Kemmerer, included a two-day educational and dialogue programme in which the Israeli group visited “places of memory” associated with “Imperial, Authoritarian, and Totalitarian Legacies,” including the Humboldt Forum, the German History Museum, the National Library, and the Stasi Museum/Campus for Democracy. At each location, the group engaged in stimulating conversations with leading intellectuals.
The Power of Academic Relationships
The summer school was a unique learning experience that exceeded all expectations. The Israeli students fondly recall the extraordinary hospitality of their German colleagues, who opened their hearts and minds, making them feel highly welcome. In these difficult times, all appreciate the power of academic relationships not only in advancing scientific knowledge but also in genuinely contributing to human flourishing.
