Dr. Smadar Ben-Natan
Sunday, March 9 at 1:00 pm
Congregation Beth Israel (751 San Juan Blvd, Bellingham)
Israeli democracy is at an impasse. But what exactly is this impasse about? Is it about judicial reform and executive power? Government corruption? The longstanding occupation of Palestinian territory? State and religion? Building on 30 years of legal practice and research in and about Israel and Palestine, lawyer and scholar Smadar Ben-Natan will connect the dots and give context for the multiple issues at stake, as Israeli society seems to be more divided than ever.
Dr. Smadar Ben-Natan is a professor in the Department of Global Studies, University of Oregon, specializing in human rights, international law, armed conflict, criminal justice, incarceration, colonialism, and Israel/Palestine. Her research and teaching examine law, politics, and inequality on the local and global levels, focusing on military courts and incarceration in Israel/Palestine. Before transitioning to academia, she was a longtime Israeli and international human rights and criminal defense lawyer, working with many Israeli human rights organizations. She is currently a board member in the Israeli NGOs B’Tselem and Academia for Equality.
