Dr. Danielle Gurevitch, Chair
Chair of “The Sir Naim Dangoor Centre for Universal Monotheism” since its establishment (2008). Gurevitch is serving in a host of executive and academic positions at the University since 2003, She initiated and contributed to the establishment of the CHE and BIU academic relations between China and Israel as well as serve as the director of the Multidisciplinary studies (Liberal Arts) to which, among other initiatives, developed and directed the BIU Asian studies program at the faculty of Humanities (2008-current). In 2017 was certified as a visiting professor at “Glazer Institute for Jewish and Israel Studies”, Nanjing University, currently (2022) a visiting professor at the University of Tulsa.
Gurevitch is and ethnologist (Literature and Cultural studies). A faculty member at the humanities, Bar-Ilan University since 2003. Her Scientific academic work includes the History of Ideas, Contemporary Cultural studies, speculative and comparative Literature. Dr. Gurevitch has published numerous books and articles. See: https://biu.academia.edu/DanielleGurevitc
Gurevitch has been instrumental in forging international academic and innovative partnerships with varied communities, Universities and academic research institutes. Mainly in Asia (China, Japan, India, Japan, Korea), and in the Balkans (Macedonia, Bulgaria, Kosovo and Greece). Recently, following the Abraham accord developing several initiatives in collaboration with leading Arab countries academics. She is known for her proactive and creative initiatives in promoting international, multicultural collaborations and activities supporting Israel culture and heritage among the nations; focusing on soft power cultural diplomacy, building intercultural and interreligious bridges between nations.
Dr. Michal Zelcer-Lavid
Dr. Michal Zelcer-Lavid is the deputy director of the Dangoor Centre and the head of the Asian Studies track at the Multidisciplinary Studies Program (Liberal Arts) , Faculty of Humanities, Bar-Ilan University.
Dr. Lavid is in-charge of the Centre’s academic and research collaborations and creating academic curricula.
Dr. Zelcer Lavid was a postdoc researcher at the Central Asian Seminar at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (2016-2017) and has a Ph.D. in Asian Studies from the University of Haifa (2014). She studied Chinese (Mandarin) both in Israel and in China. Dr. Zelcer-Lavid was awarded grants from the Hebrew University (2002) and the University of Haifa (2004) for excellence in academic achievements. In 2010 she was named outstanding junior professor of Bar-Ilan University.
Her current research focuses on nationalism and ethnic identity in Tibetan and Uyghur minorities and ethnic conflicts in Asia. She wrote several articles and book chapters. Her latest article, “‘Green-Colored Uyghur Poet’: Religion, Nostalgia and Identity in Contemporary Uyghur Poetry,” was published in “Modern China” Journal in 2022.
Her broader research interests are East-West Asian relations, ethnic conflicts in Asia, ethnicity, culture, and politics in contemporary central Asia and China.
Academic Committee:
TBD
