Van Leer Jerusalem Institute
The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute (VLJI) is a center for the interdisciplinary study and discussion of issues related to philosophy, society, culture, and education. The Institute was established in order to create a body of knowledge and discourse and to give expression to the wide range of disciplines and opinions in Israel. The contribution of a core of renowned scholars facilitates the implementation of reforms and new approaches in various social spheres.
The Institute is located in Jerusalem's Talbiya neighborhood, next door to the official residence of the President of Israel. Its campus also houses the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Council for Higher Education.
History[edit]
The Van Leer Institute was established in 1959 by the European branch of the Van Leer family from the Netherlands. The stated goals of the institute are to "advance knowledge in the realms of philosophy, society, and culture", to enhance ethnic and cultural understanding, ease social tensions and promote democratic values through academic research, public policy analysis, advocacy and civil society projects. The institute organizes domestic and international conferences, symposia and workshops, and publishes books and periodicals.[2]
Van Leer organizes domestic and international conferences, symposia and workshops, publishes periodicals, books and monographs, and promotes pluralistic public dialogue. It houses a 27,000-volume library devoted to philosophy, philosophy of science, historical sociology and political theory.[3]
According to Ofira Seliktar, a scholar specializing in anti-Israeli activities of Israeli scholars, it was used to give a measure of respectability to Post-Zionist scholars.[4]
The Institute publishes books, anthologies, monographs, position papers, and journals.
Journals[edit]
The Van Leer institute publishes two peer-reviewed academic journals: Journal of Levantine Studies (2011–) and Contributions to the History of Concepts (since the early 1990s), both in English. From 2011 to 2020, it also published Identities: Journal of Jewish Culture and Identity, a Hebrew-language journal.[6] The institute also publishes the Hebrew-language magazine Theory and Criticism (Hebrew)- The journal is very critical of Israel according to Ofira Seliktar.[4]