Department of Political Science

Mission Statement, May 2022

The mission of the Department of Political Science is to contribute to a greater understanding of politics and share its knowledge with society through research, education, and public service. The department aims to conduct state-of-the-art normative, theoretical and empirical research of politics, with thematic areas of expertise. Members of the department aim to foster academic knowledge in the discipline through publication in leading venues and participation in international research collaborations. The department strives to maintain and further consolidate its position as a leading political science department globally, and uphold its established reputation as one of the leading centers for the comparative study of Israeli politics.

This emphasis on excellence in research goes hand in hand with the department’s determination to provide teaching of the highest quality. This entails imparting to undergraduate students the analytical vocabulary, philosophical perspectives, and methodological skills required for better understanding and critical thinking regarding politics, so that they might pursue a wide variety of professional careers and assume active citizenship roles, locally and globally. To achieve these goals, students will encounter both foundational texts in political science and recently published rigorous scholarship, with an emphasis on Israeli politics. At the graduate level, the department aspires to position students at the forefront of political science research, in terms of their familiarity with key theoretical debates and cutting-edge empirical strategies of research design and data analysis. Graduates of the department will be equipped with a wide-ranging toolbox to pursue research, teaching, and other careers within and outside academia.

The department takes pride in its location in Jerusalem: a microcosm of Israel’s diverse society and home to its national political power-centers. By adhering to equal opportunity and non-discrimination policies in all aspects of its operation, the department strives to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive community of scholars and students that benefits from a diversity of people, ideas, and perspectives. The department also seeks to build bridges and contribute to the broader community outside the university by conducting public-facing research that enriches local and foreign public discourse and informs policymakers in Israel and abroad about the many aspects of contemporary politics.