The 24th Annual Association for Israel Studies (AIS) Conference: May 2008
Taub Center for Israel Studies hosted the 24th Annual Association for Israel Studies (AIS) Conference
Sixty Years after 1948: Are the Narratives Converging?
Organized on the theme “60 Years to 1948: Are the Narratives
Converging?”, the Annual AIS conference attracted over 300 papers and 400
participants for three days of discussion on all aspects of Israel
Studies.The theme of the conference –
converging narratives – was discussed at the packed main plenary session, with
a panel of Israel,
Palestinian and American experts on the history of 1948 and after. The huge attendance,
from all over the world (although most participants came from Israel and across
the U.S.) and the informed discussions that took place in the meetings rooms,
in the corridors and around the coffee tables made this an incredibly vibrant
academic conference.Even at the end of
the third day of discussions, and despite the attractions of New York City and the wonderful weather, the
conference rooms were full and the debate continued until the very last moment. In
fact, at the end of the last day we had to politely (and regrettably) remind
those still caught up in debate that the Conference was over …We look forward to the next AIS Annual
Conference, to be held at the Sapir College, in Sderot, Israel in 2009.
