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In 2000, Ilan Peleg, Dana Professor of Social Science, became editor of Israel Studies Forum, a biannual journal featuring scholarly articles, book reviews, and research notes. Under his guidance, the publication of the Association for Israel Studies has been transformed from an informational tool to a full-fledged, peer-reviewed publication.
In the process, Peleg raised tens of thousands of dollars, appointed a high-power board of editors, and reached a multiple-year agreement with Berghahn Books, New York City and Oxford, England. His editorial assistant is Benji Berlow ’06(Palmerton, Pa.), a double major in Jewish studies and psychology.
Peleg also published three articles related to Israel—on Jewish-Palestinian relation in International Journal of Politics, Culture & Society; on Israeli foreign policy from a constructivist perspective, Israel Studies Forum; on the definition of Israel as “Jewish & Democratic” in The Reconstructionist.
Another topic on which Peleg has published many articles is ethnic relations, often with Israel as an example. He has involved government and law major Dustin Antonello ’07 (Northport, N.Y.) in research for a book on this topic that is nearing completion.
Peleg presented a paper and organized a panel on Israeli foreign policy at Association for Israel Studies meetings, Jerusalem and Tucson, Ariz.; presented to Ethnicity and Politics Research Section, International Political Science Association; and participated in a panel on Gaza disengagement, American Political Science Association, Washington, D.C.
As a Middle East expert, Peleg is constantly in demand to give talks and presentations. Some of these include: fourth inaugural address of the Doree Cooper Lectureship, Temple Sinai, N.J.; lecture series, Bnai Keshet Congregation, Montclair, N.J.; lecture, Evergreen College, Olympia, Wa.; lecture series, Kehilat Ha’Naar, New Hope N.J.; talk, Israel’s cultural divide, Olympia, Wa.; lectures, Freedom Foundation, Valley Forge, Pa.
In addition, Peleg has commented often to the press on Middle East issues and lectured for the Jewish & Israeli Film Series. He is helping to organize a trip to Turkey.
A frequent speaker on political and international issues, Peleg has shared his expertise on CNN, Voice of America, National Public Radio, and other broadcasts. He is author of countless articles on international topics, and author or editor of six books, including Negotiating Culture and Human Rights (Columbia University Press, 2001) and The Middle East Peace Process: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Peleg’s book on human rights in the West Bank and Gaza received a prize for scholarly excellence in 1996. He spent five months on sabbatical at the University of Oxford during the 2002-03 school year.
Peleg has received recognition from Lafayette on numerous occasions, including the Jones Award for superior teaching and scholarly excellence (1993), the Van Artsdalen Prize for outstanding scholarly achievement (1995), and the 2001 Marquis Distinguished Teaching Award.
He served nine years as chairman of Lafayette’s international affairs program and 12 years as head of the government and law department.
“It is an honor and privilege to work with Professor Peleg,” said international affairs major Raisa Sheynberg ’04 (Pennington, N.J.) as she conducted honors research under his mentoring that she presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. “I think he is very eager to see me do good work and really develop my thinking. He’s been very helpful in letting me develop my own thesis but at the same time not letting me go too far. And he is fascinating to speak with.”